Yeah, What Makes Them Think They Can Represent an Unrealistic Beauty Standard for Other Women

Racial prejudice in the fashion industry has long persisted because of tokenism and lookism. “We already have our black girl,” says a designer to a fashion-show casting agent, declining to see others. Or: “She doesn’t have the right look.” Laziness, paranoia and pedantry may also have something to do with the failure to hire black models for shows and magazine features in any meaningful number, but, hey, that’s just a guess. …

The irony in fashion is that it loves change but it can’t actually change anything. It can only reflect a change in the air. But what changes fashion?…

The answer is the individual eye. …

In fashion, one of the most influential eyes belongs to the photographer Steven Meisel. …

For the July issue of Italian Vogue, Mr. Meisel has photographed only black models. In a reverse of the general pattern of fashion magazines, all the faces are black, and all the feature topics are related to black women in the arts and entertainment. Mr. Meisel was given roughly 100 pages for his pictures. The issue will be on European newsstands next Thursday and in the United States soon after. …

Mr. Meisel has his own theories about why black models, save for the token few, have disappeared from runways. “Perhaps the designers, perhaps the magazine editors,” he said. “They are the powerful people. And the advertisers. I have asked my advertising clients so many times, ‘Can we use a black girl?’ They say ‘Really? Are you trying to make us vomit.’” The concern is that consumers will resist the product, he said. “It all comes down to money.” …

Yeah, money, and the unfortunate circumstance that the things white people like buying from black people—cocaine, Hip Hop culture, and magazines with giant O's on them—pretty much sell themselves, and don't really need advertisement. More's the pity.