Comments on: Exposed: The Fashion Industry Gripped By Racism

By: Bartosz Kielan

Bartosz Kielan — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:14:03 +0000

Should we, in return, regulate hip-hop industry?
It’s clearly rasist, innit?

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:02:23 +0000

To be honest i think the modelling industry needs a total shake up especially in the uk, they need to realise that white caucasion models do not represent the majority and it gets very boring when we keep seeing white models with their useless attempts at trying to look exotic with their(fake bake) why not get the real deal the real exotic models who’s skin is a natural tan, wheat or gorgeous chocolate.
Also some clothing bright neon colours look awful on white skin so they need that tan.
Why not have more latinas, bi-racial, mixed models and darkskinned black models, dark-skinned models look sexy and sultry. MESSAGE TO VOGUE, I WANT TO SEE MORE REAL EXOTIC SEXY MODELS OF ETHNIC ORIGIN, YOUR VANILLA MILK GIRLS WIT THEIR FAKE BAKE ARE SO YESTERDAY, THE IDEAL OF BEAUTY IS HEALTHY GLOWING SKIN WITH HEALTHY NOT UNDERWEIGHT SCRAWNY BODIES, WE WANT MORE BLACK, HISPANIC, NATIVE AMERICAN AND ASIAN AND MULTI-ETHNIC MODELS! WHITE IS OUT MULTIETHNIC IS IN! sorry i ain’t racist im half white myself but im so bored with the stereotypical blonde/brunette, lyk BORING! apart frm paris nd nicole and mariah, i love them.

By: Sundal

Sundal — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:54:01 +0000

the reason why what katharine hamnett said is not racist is because she was speaking out for a race that has been oppressed for centuries and despite many people’s claims that since the abolition of slavery and the civil rights movement we now exist in a society free from racism, bar a small-minded minority is not true. The fashion industry is a microcosm of public opinion- it channels cultural, socio-economic and political shifts and at the moment it is still revealing that much of the western, developed world is still racist, albeit sometimes only slightly.

As a mixed race model (south east asian/caucasian mix), i have experienced racism and discrimination, albeit in subtle forms. I was told by my agent when i was taken on, that despite having a strong look, he wasn’t sure how much work there would be for ‘an asian model’ (would they call me ‘a white model’ in india? i doubt it). I have luckily managed to get enough work so far (touch wood) to earn my living in london, but i know i could be working more often if i was white. Some jobs can be degrading- a live shopping channel selling makeup where they spend so long on the two white girls (their target audience) and when it comes to my turn not only is their foundation too dark (well, it was slim pickings for asian models at the agency), but they left themselves less than 5mins to slapdash it on. This wasn’t blatant racism but you do get the feeling you are being othered, patronised, discriminated against, whatever you want to call it.

India and China are the world’s next superpowers and with the looming recession, those in the creative industries in the western world will be selling their products and their pr to them. So it’s high time to start representing.

By: Chantal

Chantal — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:54:50 +0000

and to that idout who said “your all gay” go and learn to you your words grmatically correct and dont come on here to say stupid things

By: Chantal

Chantal — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:53:41 +0000

Well lets think about that shall we? If a designer said to a white girl you look like a monkey fair enough thats what designers doBUT it IS racist when they say that to a black model why? BECAUSE THAT IS A DEROGATORY COMMENT ABOUT THEIR ANCESTORY. Maybe if you went back to school or got out in the world you’d see that black footballers used to get banas thrown at them – because they’re black and everyone knos the old sterotype is that black people look like monkeys. Yes i do agree that designers are brutaly honest but that is no reason to mock someone because of their skin colour. You can say whatever about skin type (for example spots etc) but why skin COLOUR for goodnees sake no-one is anyless human because they arent white. And one more point which you made about miss Katherine Hamnett she isnt racist at all she’s just stating her opinion. If she prefers black girls to white girls thats fine but im sure their are high fashion designers who prefer Caucasians to black girls. Maybe its time you got in touch with whats racism and whats just ONE or a few persons OPINION you know the difference between FACT AND OPINION

By: Megan

Megan — Fri, 02 May 2008 01:41:33 +0000

I really don’t think a designer should hire anyone they don’t like. It’s their choice. Lots of times designers are brutally honest with models. They tell them if they think they are fat among other things. If the designer thought that girl looked like a monkey then so what? Designers can be brutally honest with a white girl but not a black girl? That is racist. And I think what Katharine Hamnett said is racist. She said, �I have no idea why, when it�s obvious that black girls are just so genuinely much more beautiful than Caucasians, who have clearly got the short straw. Black girls have much better body shapes and it�s such a shame…� How is it any different than someone saying “it’s obvious that white girls are just so genuinely much more beautiful than black girls? It’s not any different.

By: joe

joe — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:05:44 +0000

your all gay

By: Wil

Wil — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 05:42:15 +0000

I have to disagree with the person who says that black americans and caribbeans are not unique enough. Naomi Campbell is Jamaican, Tyson Beckford is half african-american and jamaican/chinese, Tyra Banks is african-american, Chanel-Iman is african-american/korean, Shakara Ledard is bahamian….Whats my point….my point is that all of the models listed are considered grand slam, unique and very beautiful. I’m Caribbean but when people see me they are very intrigued by my features. So much so that people mistake me from being from other parts of the world. As for educated I grew up in the British West Indies and I speak fluent English, Spanish and French and so do many others from my region. I have a BA and an MA University Degrees, but I have chosen to model. So you need to do more research and not rely on stereotypes. I think as black people we tend to further the stereotypes by bashing each other. If we want people of other ethnic groups to treat us with respect, then we need to treat each other with respect first. Being Black and Beautiful is not only limited to Africa.

By: Chantal

Chantal — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:06:05 +0000

I totaly disgree with you there akua kyerematen. As a blac girls myself i dont think its just the black girls that have an attitude problem. Its silly to say just because of past events that all black girls immediatly get diffensive over comments baout their walks etc. MANY models are like that not just the black ones and its sounds a bit stereotypical to say that

By: akua kyerematen

akua kyerematen — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:38:48 +0000

As a young black female from Ghana, I surprisingly have mixed reviews on this issue.

I do disagree with the racism that is surfacing in the fashion industry and it is not fair to see only caucasions succeeding in the modeling world and fewer black models given the opportunity to appear in fashion magazines and on the catwalks. Nobody deserves to be called “monkey” or “afro” to their faces at all!

But the only comment I can understand is that most black models do not carry themselves well, which sadly i believe.
Black women need to seriously consider working on their attitude, because we black females have sucky attitudes! We have alwyas been treated as second class citizens, so we tend to act quick with emotions or “be loud” to gain attention, but it is not necessarily right either. While I was in modeling school, this black girl was acting very disrespectful because she didn’t agree that her walk sucked (which it did!) and had a fit about it. Let’s just think back: Camille from America’s next top model, Jacki from USA’S Make Me A Supermodel,Tiffani from America’s Next Top Model…….BAD ATTITUDE! Why do you only see (besides Naomi Cambell) african models succeeding? Becuase black americans and carribeans are sadly not unique enough. only few of them. Africans tend to score more jobs because sorry I have to say this but, we Africans are more proper than americans, speak better english, more educated, and tend to be biligual/multiligual than black americans. Africans have better physiques and better skin. We africans appreciate life more and are much more determined than black american girls. So these are some of the things they have to think about. I am not trying to stereotype black americans but, somebody has to expose a reality check somehow………..

And another thing I have to address is that unfortunately minorities just have to prove themselves more. That is the reality.