Runways Fade to White - New York Times

[bananas]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/fashion/shows/14race.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all

Runways Fade to White - New York Times
By GUY TREBAY
Published: October 14, 2007


THE LINEUP At recent spring shows, black models were scarce or nonexistent, including at the Chloé show in Paris, above.

<snip>

Of the 101 shows and presentations posted on Style.com during the New York runway season, which ended a month ago, more than a third employed no black models, according to Women’s Wear Daily. Most of the others used just one or two. When the fashion caravan moved to London, Paris and Milan, the most influential shows — from Prada to Jil Sander to Balenciaga to Chloé and Chanel — made it appear as if someone had hung out a sign reading: No Blacks Need Apply.

<snip>

“It’s heartbreaking for me now because the agents send the girls out there to castings and nobody wants to see them,” said Ms. Hardison, referring to black models. “And if they do, they’ll call afterward and say, ‘Well, you know, black girls do much better in Europe, or else black girls do much better in New York, or we already have our black girl.’”

<snip>

“You want to sell the model on the basis of her beauty, not her race,” said Kyle Hagler, an agent at IMG. Yet when he sends models out on casting calls based on what he terms a “beauty perspective,” omitting any mention to potential clients of race, “You always get a call back saying, ‘You didn’t tell me she was black.’”

<snip>

“I’m not pointing a finger and saying people are racist,” said Ms. Hardison, who nevertheless recounted a recent exchange with the creative director of a major fashion label: “She said to me, ‘I have to be honest with you, when a girl walks in, I just don’t see color.’ Meanwhile, they have one girl, or more likely, none in their show.”

<snip>

[knitter4democracy]

1. I was wondering about that.

I'm seeing more non-white models in the knitting mags (finally!) but I hadn't seen as many in the fashion ads in the New Yorker. What's up with that?!

[givemebackmycountry]

2. Of course that's just WRONG - I hate racism no matter where it is found...

But, MY GOD look at that picture.

Have you EVER seen a more dour looking group of individuals in your life?
Those six young women (the ones who's faces you can actually see) look like they are being led to slaughter.

The second woman in line looks like a freaking zombie, with an almost trance like look in her eyes.

Don't beat me up and say that I am a misogynist or that I hate women, that's not the case at all.

Just tell me that while looking at that picture, you didn't think the same thing that I did for a second.

Like lambs to a slaughter.

I hate the fashion industry anyway.
I've always found it demeaning and dehumanizing.

[Lorien]

4. Models really have to abuse themselves to stay that thin

one of my best friends is a former supermodel. She is 6' tall and is unhappy if weighs more than 120 pounds. She's been bulimic since her modeling days and told me that she never knew a model who was also, at the very least, bulimic as well. She confided that most use cocaine and other illegal drugs to help maintain their unnaturally low weight. It's literally a sick industry.

[girl gone mad]

6. Nonsense.

I worked in the industry and most of the girls are naturally thin. The ones I worked with culd eat all day long and not gain an ounce. Drugs are a problem in most high profile professions. It sounds like your friend needs to get some help.

[Lorien]

8. At what level did you work in the industry?

Read any memoir from a top model and she'll back up what my friend has been saying for years.There are few people on earth who are THAT "naturally thin" who don't have a serious medical condition which causes extreme weight loss.

[bananas]

5. Yeah, the article says "The current taste in models is for blank-featured 'androids'"

I should've included that quote in the snippets.

[SoCalDem]

7. Amen.. who needs faces anymore..or even bodies? (pic)

[Captain Hilts]

3. Lots of blacks in the catologs, Brooks Brothers, etc. They wear clothes better! nt

[live love laugh]

9. There weren't that many to begin with--and now there are none?! That ridiculous. n/t

[Catherine Vincent]

10. The second one in line looks like she's in a trance.

WTF?

[LeftyMom]

11. The fashion industry hates curves. They like that walking coathanger look

and white and asian girls and women tend to be thiner and less curvy to start with, and more willing to starve themselves down to that skeletor look. I assume that's why you don't see many black or latina models outside of niche-marketed stuff, but more in "plus size" where curviness is an asset.