A Little Afro Love
Jourdan Dunn’s sporting a glorious fro on the cover of Elle France’s December 2008 issue (thanks to my fashion savior Make Fetch Happen for the head’s up!).
And I gotta ask — what do you see when you see this photo?
Do you see a striking and rare image of a model of color rocking a hair texture that isn’t stick straight?
Do you see an attempt by a mainstream foreign fashion magazine to continue the trend started most recently by Vogue Italia?
Or do you see something else that isn’t as beautiful and inspiring?
Like? Love? Hate? Meh?
I saw this image and I was struck by that crown of hair. I don’t care if it’s real or fake, all hers, or salon-assisted – to me, her fro looks HOT. Fly. She is working it and I love that Elle France put her and that fabulous hair front and center. A magazine cover like that gets an immediate spot on my coffee table.
I see that photo as hair inspiration for bellas who are on the fence about how beautiful their natural hair might be. But some of the comments on Make Fetch Happen were less glowing.
It all made me think about of two recent, brilliant blog posts I read on Racialicious — Nappily Ever After? Not Quite by Latoya Peterson, and Nappy Love: Or how I learned to stop worrying and embrace the kinks by Tami of What Tami Said. Beautiful, brave words written by two bloggers I am so inspired by, about their own experiences and feelings about embracing their natural hair texture. Those posts reminded me that not everyone’s hair journey is the same, but we learn so much along the path. The experiences we have with our natural hair — the response it evokes from others — reveals so much about how we define beauty, as versus how our peers and friends, significant others and families do.
I look at that photo, and I see a baby step in a direction I sincerely applaud. An undeniably stunning model, and a celebration of beauty I can see an almost-reflection of myself in.
What do you see? Do you love it? Or not?
Category: Famous Faces, Hair, Issues
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
I love the fro! makes me miss mine’s.(btw, i have dreads, wore a fro for about 6 years) I don’t think taht she is really that skinny but, she might be thin. As a naturally thin woman, I think there are boundaries between thin and skinny. Jourdan looks thin in some pictures but, in some pictures she looks sick skinny. other than that I love wil be showing my daughters (one has thick hair and can wear a fro and the other has curly but thin hair)Thanks, Bella!
I think it’s great to see her on this cover. Sure, she’s super skinny, but that’s what the job requires. If she was bigger, she wouldn’t get the over, sadly enough. And the hair is great. Our hair is high fashion and always has been. It’s nice to see it recognized.
That said, I’m waiting to see this sort of cover on American Vogue. Instead we get the Jennifer Aniston covers. Yawn. Same old same old.
I love it. It looks forward and back at the same time. She’s fierce and fabulous. Fashion as portrayed in these mags is exagerrated and so her ‘fro totally fits. Now, would I like to sit behind her in the movie theater?
That kind fake fro is one of the most offensive things to me, its like blackface even if the person is black.
It reminds me of the Halloween fro’s white folks wear. What is wrong with a real fro? Not good enough or exotic enough for the white editors?
And that rail thin model? You guys think this is progress? Just give up on these magazines already.
She looks beautiful and it’s nice to see a sister with natural hair. Not even our own black magazines do this.
I don’t know what is going on with the American fashion magazines. Enough with the same three actresses (Jennifer Anistan, Kate Hudson, Scar Jo)
All I see is beauty, pure and simple.
This magazine cover is F-I-Y-A-HHHHHHH!!!! I think Italian Vogue has really set an extremely positive trend with their recent black issue… and other publications are following suit… we’re starting to see more women of color (outside of the lightskin, long, wavy/straight hair-type) in high-fashion and mainstream venues and that is GREAT! I pray this is a trend that is here to stay and becomes popular outside of Europe.
I love it, and I would like to see more magazine covers like it.
Thank you politicallyincorrect!
I love her fro! She is beautiful! I actually am wearing my hair out in a fro today and was real happy to see this cover. We need more display of beautiful fros
I love it! It feels good to see someone who looks like me on the cover or a magazine! I get tired of people saying, “So when are you going to do something to that hair?” That is so annoying! So it makes me feel good that France is showing love to the Afros!
I love the cover! I saw a beautiful haute couture model rocking a fierce ‘fro and she’s black. This, while still another baby step is still huge! When is the American market going to realize that not every model has to be white to be beautiful. And the fact that she is called ‘Top Model of the Year’ is also major! From a French magazine! Amazing!
I think it is a great picture! I am always in support of a beauty like hers, because it challenges the aesthetic that so many hold up on a pedestal. Which all of us bellas do on a regular basis
but a cover like this just reinforces our beauty. I always think of the fro and of course the 70s. It seemed like a pretty cool time culturally( the musice was the bomb, the clothes were cute, and it was before all of the hardcore drugs)..I am definately a 8os baby but sometimes I secretly watch Soultrain clips from the 70s(on youtube) and wish I could have been a part of it all.
Since when did glossy fashion mag covers represent anything natural or ordinary? Nothing wrong with natural and ordinary, mind you, but sadly there isn’t much room for it in the world of high fashion.
I love this cover! From the comments here, it certainly serves it’s purpose. I love the exaggerated mega-fro and photo styling. I want to buy this magazine!
What a spectacle…an unabashed beauty! Jourdan’s super ’fro may not be the real thing, but, even so, it’s a head-turning representation I can’t help but embrace. It’s like every hair on her head is demanding its own place in the sun.
Our beauty is too often ignored and unappreciated. It’s high time for an authentically black aesthetic to be put on display.
I luv it!!!! Luv it! Whether her ‘fro is real or not, I still like the look. A lot of photo shoots are about fantasy. Even hairstyles that can’t be achieved either in real life or on most people are still worthy of admiration. BTW, have you seen Esperanza Spalding’s hair. I venture to say that her ‘fro is almost this big and everytime I see it, I smile even though I could never wear something like that in real life. I work in a really traditional corporate environment. More power to Jordan!
It’s a nice really cover, even though the girl makes me think of a microphone.
I’d like to see a cover with some serious cornrows next.
I wonder if I could get my hair to stand up like that. Maybe I’ll put it in rollers first.
I definitely dig the afro and Im ashamed to admit that due to all the straightening creams and ions and all those chemicals have totally ruined my beautiful extra curly hair…last night I found a bald spot. A devastating experience. I would give anything to have back my frizzy, dry, curly hair because at least I HAD HAIR
Wow wonderful blog! I love the cover, I really did stop and stare at this in awe. However, I do hope this isn’t an attempt to go with whatever “fad” that may be in especially considering the election of Obama…let’s hope this is simply about beauty and fashion…but then again, perhaps the fact that change is evident has caused this to happen…She’s look amazing nonetheless…!
Honestly, I’m pleasantly surprised that nobody has said she needs to straighten that stuff…maybe because it’s so obviously fake (IMO) or because it’s so big and (relatively) perfect?
The picture actually puts me in mind of some of the pics of black models I remember seeing as a very young child in the 70s…and no, I’m not talking about the ‘fro so much as I am about the dress, the shoes, the pose, etc.
I couldn’t agree more that American magazines (both mainstream and “black”) need to catch the hell up.
She’s gorgeous. From head to toe.
The cover is amazing! I think the timing of the Elle cover may in response to what Vogue Italia has done. But, whether Elle is just trying to keep up with the competition or were genuinely inspired to show more diverse models I’m happy to see more brown girls.
The fro is “off the chain.” It looks great. I wear a fro and I would love for mine to get that big.
Now about the weight; The only reason why you all are making sarcastic comments about her weight is because you are jealous that you are overweight or either you are just not happy with your weight. Thin women do not worry about how fat other women are, but I see that fat women worry about her thin other women. You are doing the same thing about her weight that you have always accused white people of doing about your skin color. Get a life. Instead of saying she needs a biscuit with gravy, maybe you need to put down the biscuit with gravy. Therefore, you won’t feel intimidated when you see a thin, beautiful woman.
Meh.
1) I know a gimmick when I see one
2) Once again, black beauty only works overseas, and
2) While I appreciate the whole kinky-headed sentiment, I’ll be happy when I see a natural haired model actually modeling her natural hair.
Hello Afrobella. I was wondering as to how I might be able to get a copy of that issue? Thank you
I L O V E fros! Love ‘em.