Vogue Italia Goes Black

It’s been a while since we’ve seen an ebony sista modeling on the cover of a fashion magazine. However, Italia Vogue is looking to change that - their July issue featured only Black models with in-demand (in England) 17 year old model Jourdann Dunn as the covergirl.

Vogue Italia magazine knows Black is not beautiful but profitable. The July issue of the magazine was its first ever “Black” issue featuring only Black models and articles pertaining to Black-related subjects. The original run sold out in the United States and England in less than 72 hours. It reprinted 30,000 copies for U.S., 20,000 for Italy and 10,000 for Britain.

Editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani said she was inspired by the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama and the untapped potential of Black models. She said that nobody is using Black models and that there are so many beautiful Black models. She also said that all of the other Vogues will be incorporating not only Black models, but other under represented minority groups in their magazines much more than usual over the next few months.

We'll reserve our applause until we start seeing some of this "diversity" in on the magazine stands, but it's nice to know people are finally starting to open their eyes.

It is well documented that there is a clear lack of diversity in the fashion industry. All of the runways, editorials, advertisements, and fashion covers have been completely White-washed in the past. Former model agency owner Bethann Hardison, who use to represent supermodels Tyson Beckford and Naomi Campbell, had to convene two summits to discuss the refusal of some of fashion's most powerful to embrace Black beauty. A letter was sent out prior to fashion week urging designers to incorporate models of all ethnicities onto their catwalks. However, after the fall '08 fashion season concluded, the runways were as bland as ever.

The leading British photographer Nick Knight says: "The fashion industry and the advertising industry are steeped in racism. You just have to look around at the number of Black [models] you see in ads – virtually nil. Among the main fashion brands, they are completely under-represented. It's shocking and atrocious."

Mr. Knight blames business people at the top of the industry. A common attitude among them, he says, is that Black models are "not inspirational" or "don't sell in Asia".

The lack of diversity in the fashion industry has been a point of contention for decades, and recently there’s been lots of talk on the issue. After the Spring 08 shows in NYC, for instance, America’s Next Top Model’s Nigel Barker took note of the sameness on the runway, saying, “Everyone is always talking about the weight issue, I think they should be talking about race.”

Naomi Campbell has always been outspoken about racism in fashion and newcomer Jourdann Dunn, who is famously seen in London advertisements, recently added her voice to the debate.

“London’s not a White city so why should all our castings be White? I go to castings and see several Black and Asian girls, then I get to the show and look around and there’s just me and maybe one other colored face.”