I hope to see new or underemployed Black and Asian models on every catwalk. I expect to see Chanel, Jourdan, Sessilee and maybe Arlenis, Alek and Liya.

To me, the above models aren’t really ethnically ambiguous but multiracial. Nicole from the Pussy Cat Dolls is ethnically ambiguous.

Bella – I am live in Vegas..if you have Vegas questions or thoughts hit me up!

Its not about the industry trying to look down, snub or make others feel any less, its those who are running the industry trying to to make white women feel good about themselves and to continue to target their wallets.

melaniecheryl, I am from a family exactly as the one you describe. Myself, my sister, my brothers are all of varied complexions and hair types. It’s more than commonplace where I am from to see families with skin shades that run the gamut from chocolate brown to honey beige and back again. The point of this post is that by defining the models of choice as “tomboyish” and “ethnically ambiguous,” it’s a way to only feature models of a certain skin tone and hair type, thereby excluding models of a darker hue or kinkier texture.

My whole point is that they can and should feature models like your children who you so beautifully describe, but why should they not feature them alongside models whose ethnicity isn’t ambiguous but is instantly apparent? Why not feature models all shades of beautiful, to prove that these clothes look good on everyone? Why make race or skin color a trend to be discarded within a single season? I am sorry that this post leaves you cold, but I am thinking you didn’t get my point.

No one’s saying that everytime & in every show it has to be the Rainbow Coalition, but there is an alarming lack of diversity among the models out there compared to how varied it was in the seventies/eighties. It’s racial discrimination. I’ve read interviews with model bookers saying that these companies flat out tell them not to send any Black models cause they’re not going to use them in the shows this season. That’s inexcusable. If you choose to shrug & accept it, fine, but don’t try to justify what they’ve been doing. This goes beyond artistic points of view. It’s been an increasing problem. The designers, of course are artistic & deserve creative license, but need to be accountable if they’re consistently practicing a habit of exclusion.

Edesse brings up a great point about what we have to bring to the table, & I agree that there are still far too few of us that have major clout on the end of the decision-making spectrum. But I’d like to remind you Edesse, that we count for billions of dollars spent each year. We do have a LOT of buying clout & can throw some of our weight around if we chose to do it & organize. We DO bring something to the table. Check it out…
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=76412&Nid=39298&p=929348

b. – Well said. I couldn’t agree more. Ditto for Los Angelista & Olivia.

I find it fascinating that after all these years people still have a problem distinguishing between “physically black” and “culturally black.” I know black people who are “racially ambiguous” and will swear up and down they’re not mixed when it’s OBVIOUS that they are. Why being mixed is a bad thing — I mean, you can’t help who your great-grandfather was — I still don’t know. I don’t have a problem with today’s more immediately mixed people claiming all their heritage — it’s their right — but I do have a problem with anybody, regardless of race or heritage, perpetuating a white supremacist attitude by going along with the notion that “racially ambiguous” is somehow better than the alternative.

To that end, I completely agree that this desire for ambiguity is more about minimizing black features than it is about minimizing anybody else’s features. And I agree that appreciating diversity in ALL forms (including my dark-skinned, racially unambiguous form) is what needs to happen.