Back to Black?: Italian Vogue - A Black Issue

The four different covers of italian Vogue - Black Issue photographed by Steven Meisel.
(From Left to Right: Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn and Naomi Campbell)

Blackface by Steven Meisel: Is blackface on a black face still blackface?

Naomi Campbell by Steven Meisel

Tyra Banks by Steven Meisel.

Toccara Jones the super (normal?) sized model from American's Next Top Model by Steven Meisel

Toccara Jones looking like Pam Grier

Yasmin Warsame by Steven Meisel.

(Not Tyra!)

Yasmin again!

More here!

Italian Vogue magazine is considered the most trendsetter and independent of all magazine editions since decades, working as a trend forecasting for the whole fashion industry in the four corners of the world. This month came out a historic issue of the so callled "fashion bible" namely A Black Issue which fills about 100 pages of the magazine with gorgeous pictures accompanied by features on black women in the arts and entertainment photographed by star fashion photographer Steven Meisel - who worked with Madonna on her controversial book Sex - and also makeup by fabulous artist Pat McGrath. This issue intends to cause a relatively big revolution in the fashion industry and pop culture. Some american friends of mine said it sounds too nonsense nowadays but we need to understand that to Americans this may be offensive. Italy today is 1950s America since they are completely ethnocentric - and not forgetting the fact they have Berlusconi in the power, which makes this "Black Issue" a real giant step forward not only in Italy but in Europe at all. Well, the July issue of Vogue Italia - from front cover until back cover- has only black female beauties on it. Almost. After the pull-out cover featuring four striking close ups (Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn and Naomi Campbell), the next thirteen pages of ads — for Valentino, Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Dior — hironically all feature white faces only. From this point we can have a real idea of the absurd of the racial issues in the fashion industry. It can sound quite cynical to be truth and to be take seriously but it is sadly truth, and it must be take seriously for only one reason: the almost completely "white hegemony" and Eurocentrism of the fashion industry worldwide. It's hard to believe but there are lot's of talking heads speaking about racism and prejudice towards "non-white" models. In Brazil it is notorious since aways. The so called "melting pot's land" and "pseudo racial diversity dream" is indeed one of the most racists countries specially in the fashion and media issues. The "colonized" inferiority complex is not gone in the country that insists to show a more Western/Eastern European face as possible in its magazines, soap-operas, films and ad campaigns. As more white, better, seems to say some Brazilian fashionistas if we watch the runaways of fashion shows at São Paulo or Rio Fashion Week. And the worst thing about it is that Brazilian fashion designers, journalists, producers, model agents and bookers just work in a kind of "copy-paste" of the European and American market. They seem to have any conscious that we live in a heavily racialy diversified enviroment. It's like that lyric's line of an old and beautiful George Michael's ballad Cowboys and Angels; "monkey see and monkey do, their wish is your command." And so it is. They see and they do exactly the same the rich Western does. But sadly it not only happens in Brazil. The same racial barrier is still alive in other Latin America countries as well in India, Japan, Thailand and even in Europe and USA. Post-colonialism inheritance? I think so. The idea of wealth and beauty still remains the Caucasians from the Imperialism era. The non-white are the poorst and the ugliest unconsciously. I remember when I was in Thailand about 5-6 years ago and some Thai people said to me that they didn't like their image. They wish they would look "lighter skinned", taller and thiner. And in the Thai media, fashion magazines and so on thre were only more European alike Asiatic faces that have nothing to do with the native Thais. This padronized Western/Eastern Europe beauty with all those pales, skinny and quite childish alike models seems to have pissed off Italian Vogue's editor Franca Sozzani. One source of inspiration for this issue was actually the phenomenon of the Barack Obama campaign. In the spirit of "change" Franca Sozzani and photographer Steven Meisel, were ready to go out on a limb. Meisel says of the shoot, “I thought, it’s ridiculous, this discrimination... It’s so crazy to live in such a narrow, narrow place. Age, weight, sexuality, race — every kind of prejudice.” Italian Vogue editor says of her publication, “Mine is not a magazine that can be accused of not using black girls”. I've found lot' s of impressive articles about Italian Vogue's black issue at The Independent and Timesonline. At Facebook there is a big campaign to improve the selling of Italian Vogue. The idea is to combat the pessimists forecasts of major magazine distributors across Europe, whom have said that they expect the Italian Vogue magazine that feature all black models to be the worst selling edition ever. I bet it won't.

And here an interview with italian Vogue editor Franca Sozzani about the Black Issue published in the New York Times. By Cathy Horyn

Q: So how did the black issue come about?

A: I was in New York in early February for the shows. I always notice the black girls in the streets in New York, more than I would in Milan. And it was also the time of the primaries, Super Tuesday. I’m interested in Obama. In the beginning Steven and I were talking about three or four stories, and then it became the entire issue. Steven really tried to reach all the girls who were around—Pat Cleveland, Iman, Naomi, the young girls, like Liya and Alek Wek. We also went back to the pictures that were used in the past of the black models and performers, like Tina Turner.

Q: Diversity on the runways has been the subject of a lot of media attention.

A: We asked Robin Givhan [of The Washington Post] to write a piece. She did a good story. She said that what we were doing was great but—what will happen next month? Will everything go back to where it was before, with all-white models? I think she was right to ask that. I hope the issue will be something that can change things. Anyway, people will talk about it, for sure. Like or dislike, it will be a controversial issue. I think it’s good to keep that tension and focus on this subject.

Q: Everybody complains about the models today, the sameness, the blank faces.

A: Nowadays, at the shows, I turn to my editors and say, ‘What’s the name of the girl, what’s her name?’ I really cannot recognize one from the other. The models in the past, like Linda and Naomi, were immediately recognizable. They had a lot of personality. These new girls have nothing. You can paint everything on their faces in a way because they have no expression. And the girls we used to see on the runway were very elegant. Liya is elegant. To me, she walks like a princess. Now the girls all look the same—from the first to the last.

The problem is partly with the modeling agencies. They have a lot of white girls—it’s easier. To find black girls takes more time. It’s a problem of research and talent, to find the right girls. We’re a little bit back to a period in the 70s, when you didn’t remember the name of a single model. They were not girls making an interpretation of the clothes, the way Linda did. They were just models. In the beginning of the 90s, those models were really celebrities—Christy, Naomi, Cindy, Stephanie.

Q: It’s the follow-the-leader mentality. And it winds up being such a narrow view of the world.

A: When you see the black issue and all the pictures, you realize that these girls in a way have to work much harder than other models. They are more in touch with their own personalities—they’re not simply models in front of a camera. They really try to get the tension.

Q: Do you think the issue will have an impact?

A: Yes, I think it will. I noticed the June issue of French Vogue had a split cover with a black model and white model, though there’s nothing inside.

Q: It’s interesting that you mentioned Obama…

A: Here in Italy, everybody is crazy about Obama, even people who never talk about American politics. It’s the new way to see a country where something can always happen. It’s a young country and modern. The feeling is similar to the Kennedys, but 50 years later. Ultimately, it’s not about race.

Q: It’s strange to be talking about racial diversity today in fashion. We should be further along. Is there a risk the fashion world will just see it as something trendy?

A: It could happen, and it would be a pity. Because, you know, it’s easier to do a normal issue. Paolo Roversi does a story, Craig McDean does another, and Steven Meisel another… I would feel very disappointed if this is only a nice moment. We should go forward.

Q: I suppose an all-black issue is something an American magazine might naturally or logically have done, more so than an Italian magazine.

A: In a way, it’s one of those stupid ideas that when everyone sees it, they think, Oh, I should have done that. [Sozzani laughs] It was so easy.

Q: What the black issue a political gesture?

A: I didn’t feel it was a political gesture. Maybe it was political in that when I see all these girls who look alike in a fashion show, they really annoy me. We need to see beautiful clothes on beautiful women.

Read Cathy Horyn’s article “Conspicuous by Their Presence” on the July issue of Italian Vogue.