New York Fashion Week (February 13th to 20th 2009), one of the top fashion weeks in the industry, has just ended. Of the appearances by models on the catwalk, 18% were made by models of colour. While that is well short of the 26% of America as a whole, it is much better than the 12% of last year.
Two years ago a third of the designers used white models only. This year only 9% did.
For years Bethann Hardison and Diane von Furstenberg have been saying that more models of colour were needed. Maybe their message is getting through at last. Or maybe it is the Obama effect – or the effect of the all-black Italian Vogue which sold out last summer.
Here is how the New York catwalk looked in 2009:
- 82% white
- 7.4% black (outnumbered last year by Asians)
- 6.5% Asian
- 4.0% Latina
- 1.8% other
Compare that to how America looked in 2006:
- 74% white (66% if you do not count white Latinos)
- 14.8% Latino (some also counted as white or black)
- 13.4% black
- 4.4% Asian
- 7.3% other
Here is the degree of over- or under-representation:
- 148 Asian
- 111 white
- 55 black
- 27 Latina
- 25 other
Whites and Asians were over-represented.
The counting was done by Tatiana the Anonymous Model of Jezebel.com. For some models it was a matter of her judgement where they fell: while most Latin Americans were counted as Latina, some got counted as black, like Sessilee Lopez, while others were counted as white, like Pilar Solchaga. Them’s the breaks, as she says.
These shows had no models of colour:
- Altuzarra
- Davidelfin
- Jenni Kayne
- Julian Louie
- Koi Suwannagate
- Temperley London
- Vera Wang Lavender Label
These shows had models of colour, but no black models:
- Alexandre Herchcovitz
- Behnaz Sarafpour
- Costello Tagliapietra
- Erin Fetherston
- Halston
- Marchesa
- Max Azria
- Milly
- Miss Sixty
- Monique Lhuillier
- Nicole Miller
- Philosophy
- Reem Acra
- Tibi
- TSE
- United Bamboo
- Vena Cavahad
- VPL
- Vivienne Tam
These had the most models of colour (30% or more):
- Tracey Reese
- Sophie Theallet
- Rachel Roy
- Victoria Beckham
- Ports 1961
- Oscar de la Renta
- Badgley Mishka
- Diane von Furstenberg
- Tory Burch
- Yigal Azrouël
Here are the black models who appeared, ranked by the number of shows they appeared in (the first three account for more than half of the appearances made by black models):
15: Jourdan Dunn: Alexander Wong, Anna Sui, Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, Isaac Mizrahi, Jason Wu, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Proenza Schouler, Ralph Lauren, Rodarte, Thakoon, Tommy Hilfiger, Zac Posen.
9: Sessilee Lopez: Badgley Mishka, Diane von Furstenberg, Isaac Mizrahi, Jason Wu, Malandrino, Marc Jacobs, Narciso Rodriguez, Oscar de la Renta, Tommy Hilfiger.
8: Arlenis Sosa: Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Isaac Mizrahi, Jason Wu, Michael Kors, Narciso Rodriguez, Oscar de la Renta, Tommy Hilfiger.
6: Georgie Badiel: 3.1 Philip Lim, Diane von Furstenberg, Isaac Mizrahi, Malandrino, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta.
5: Gracie Carvalho: 3.1 Philip Lim, Carolina Herrera, Diane von Furstenberg, Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang.
5: Chanel Iman: Diane von Furstenberg, Jason Wu, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Zac Posen.
2: Ubah Hassan: Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren.
4: Aminata Niaria: Isaac Mizrahi, Malandrino, Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang.
1: Lyndsey Scott: Calvin Klein.
1: Rahma Mohamed: Malandrino.
1: Kinee Diouf: Yigal Azrouel.
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I looove NY Fashion week. The fashion is incredible and the models always look beautiful. As a model, I’ve been there before and everyone was so kind.
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Thanks for taking the time to break it down. It’s nice that the NY runways are changing, but will the rest of the industry catch up? American magazines still haven’t gotten the picture. I think as a whole, fashion is too scared to embrace colour.
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I pray to God I never experience the above quoted. I would hate to be the one in jail because that’s the way it is going to end.
Go B.
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ahhh….sorry the last comment was for your most recent post on domestic violence…lol
go.
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Wake the hell up people. Why on earth are we begging to be on these runways or inside these publications? TO SELL THE PRODUCTS OF DESIGNERS and COMPANY’S WHO DON’T EMBRACE US????!!! In the end, who wins. The models??????LOL No. The PRODUCERS OF THE MERCHANDISE WIN. Are we that foolish? Would it not be more progressive to want more BLACK DESIGNERS, BLACK OWNED PRODUCTS, GROCERY STORES, MALLS, REAL ESTATE, HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS ETC…ETC…. COMPETITION CREATES CHANGE! When we begin offering better products to compete on the business level, we then gain power. And as a result will have the power to employ black models. We must get to the point where we stop looking for validation from white people by placing so much emphasis on being used as poster children(models) for their profits. It breeds an INFERIORITY COMPLEX. STOP BUYING THE DAMNED MERCHANDISE PEOPLE. That is how change comes. You have to hit people in the wallet. Things will change when we begin to empower ourselves by becoming known as THE PRODUCERS OF MERCHANDISE as much as we are known for being CONSUMERS OF MERCHANDISE. The fashion industry is run by whites and it reflects the celebration of all things superior, all things worth speaking of, all things, important, ALL THINGS WHITE. This industry as in Hollywood has been a great tool in spreading white supremacy and we are too naive and blind to see it. We flock to the stores and freely hand over our dollar to people who then laugh at us all the way to the bank. Need I go into black hair care stores. Many of you may want to investigate just why the owners have elevated platforms from behind the counter. Many of you probably have no idea WHY? This was implemented long ago for the reason of superiority and the refusal of certain cultures of Asians who see themselves as superior to Blacks. But of course….we are so addicted to their products that we wouldn’t dare boycott the stores. The next time you go into an Asian owned black hair care store…..Ask the owners why they are elevated from behind the counter. I’m curious what he or she may tell you. Most likely they’ll say security reasons or the style of the store. THINK AGAIN! They refuse to stand level with Black people. It is a symbol of disrespect. I have a question. Had Blacks continued to pay their money to ride the buses of Montgomery when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat……DO YOU THINK CHANGE WOULD HAVE COME? Do you really think that laws changed because hearts changed? When the riders refused to patron the service, the city lost money……DUH!
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Good points…Cleville
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I recently graduated with a Master’s degree in fashion design, and my final thesis collection was a combination of fine european wools and fine african fabrics. It was rejected by the final review committee, which turned out to be only one person who had a personal vendetta against me, and was denied participation in the feb. ’09 New York fashion week as a representative of the Academy of Art University in s.f. california. As an upcoming and aspiring afro-american designer, I was concerned about how my colllection would be presented. I questioned my professors about having my collection worn by AT LEAST ONE african-american model. Their response was “HO HUM’! After supposedly approving my collection for the final 3 semesters, I was told at the END of my final semester that my collection “was not consistant” and was denied for n.y. fashion week. I tell my story because not only is there discrimination in the modeling industry, but also within the designer industry. Institutional racism is alive and kicking! To top off these insults, I was asked to participate in the annual fashion show presented by the school! WOW! I refused. If I’m not good enough for N.Y., then I’m not good enough for S.F.! Good luck to all struggling african-american models AND designers! Comments welcome – Babaowo@yahoo.com or MJORDAN2@art.edu.
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What was your impression at the fashion week in new york? I couldn’t go this year so I don’t really know everything that happend. Is there anything else that hasn’t been mentioned in this article. I hope I will be there in 2011.
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