It Shouldn’t be Black or White
Jourdan Dunn is going to be on the cover of the upcoming all-black, Steven Meisel shot, July issue of Italian Vogue. What are my feelings of the cover choice? I kind of wish it was Chanel Iman, simply because I feel like Chanel is really adorable like the little model sister I never had. Jourdan Dunn, though, is very gorgeous, and was the first black model to walk Prada since Naomi Campbell in 1997. My feelings about the issue in general, on the other hand, I keep going back and forth about.
Part of me, is saying, thank god black models are going to get their chance to show the world what they can bring. They will be able to show all those casting directors that just because they have an extra inch or so around the hips, doesn’t mean they can’t wear couture or look as fierce as all of the pale svelte models they normally put in Vogue and send down the runways.
On the other hand, though, I’m very sad and annoyed that things have come down to this. Its grievous that the only way for most young black models to get any attention is if they devote an entire issue to black models. This is almost as if to say, we feel bad and acknowledge that we, as a fashion industry, have shunned you and models like you, so to make amends we’re going to give you your own issue, and you won’t have to compete with the models we actually like. I honestly hate to be the one to rain on anyone’s parade, but I’m sure I’m not the first person to see this. As fabulous as it is to give this set of models a chance, they are still technically segregating them from the other models the industry tends to covet.
This may just be part of the disdain I have for people, black, white, or otherwise, who throw themselves and others into little groups because of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation, but whatever the reason, I don’t entirely like the idea of this issue. If only they would make a conscious effort to be racially unbiased with every magazine issue, there would be no need for an all-black issue.
All lamenting aside, I hope this will help open doors for the young black models of today and of the future.
What do you think about the all-black issue? Do you think it will help lead the way for more diverse (in all senses of the word) runways and fashion editorials, or will things just stay the same?
