“In many ways, the first lady has made people see — really see — black women for the first time. For example, when a black model appeared on the May cover of Vogue, news articles credited the ‘Obama effect,’ ignoring the concerted lobbying by fashion industry activists that began long before Barack Obama was even a presidential contender…Enthusiasm over glossy-magazine beauty as defined by a darker-skinned black woman has to be seen against the backdrop of history, when black women’s appearance was used as a tool of oppression. High culture rhapsodized in love sonnets about ivory complexions, flaxen hair and ruby lips. And today, black women still mostly surface as sidebars in beauty stories.” Robin Givhan in her interesting story from today’s Washington Post on Michelle Obama’s cultural role, and her real and fictional predecessors.
Quote of the Day
Jun 19, 2009 @ 4:13pm
Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Obama Effect, Robin Givhan, Vogue, Washington Post
4
posted by Hannah A
Jun 19, 2009 6:38PM
@ Guest #1: It's always unfortunate when labels are put on people and I completely agree with everything you said. Hell, scientists are saying that there is no such thing as race! It's a sad, but true, fact that the fashion industry does tend to go for the "typical." And I rarely even see Asian models at that!
@ Guest#3: What?
6
posted by Materialgirl
Jun 19, 2009 11:58PM
Guest 1-Your comments almost brought tears to my eyes ..
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posted by guest
Jun 20, 2009 2:54AM
Guest 1- LOVE LOVE LOVE your comment. Beautiful thoughts, beautifully written.
Guest 3- what are you saying??
Guest 4- I agree with almost everything you said but my one problem with your statemnt lies in the fact that Race has been so ingrained into our minds that it takes for scientists to research it before people realize that there is no such thing. Really what is black or white?? Where are the lines drawn? Is it based on skin tone? Hair texture? What? In America we have 3 or 4 racial groups (depending on who you ask). In Brasil there are 12. In some places in West Africa there are 2. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS RACE. PERIOD. Racism however is very real. And, unfortunately, the fashion industry is VERY racist. It's perplexing as the fashion industry (to me at least) represents everything that is both right with the world (creativity, new visions, pushing boundaries) and everything that is wrong with the world (racism, sexism, size-ism * I know that's not a word but you get my point).
Anyways as Toni Morrison once said, "In this country American means white. Everybody else has to hyphenate". Unfortunately, the fashion industry hasn't demonstrated much love for those people, but hopefully this is changing...
*Sorry for the long winded comment*
8
posted by RashomonRebel
Jun 20, 2009 3:35AM
#4, You should check out Tao Okamoto, Du Juan, Liu Wen, Daul Kim, Hye Park, Hyoni Kang
10
posted by etoilee8
Jun 20, 2009 12:46PM
To add more the guest one's comment, what is truly unfortunate about the lack of black women represented is that this totally has an effect on the way some black women view themselves. Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday to name a few never considered thought of themselves as beautiful. All of them struggled with their looks during their lifetime. It truly breaks my heart because I consider all these women to be gorgeous.
12
posted by guest
Jun 20, 2009 8:45PM
I am reminded of Vogue Italy's July 2008 "Black Issue" in which a slew of black models were featured in recognition of Michelle Obama but after spending $20 on the magazine I thought, "Isn't it strange that my race is being treated like a trend?" But of course, I wanted to believe that the fashion industry was finally warming up to the concept of diversity so I decided to buy each issue of Vogue Italy to see if progress was truly being made. I thought that if I consistently saw black models (or Asian models or Latina models, whatever) that it would mean that they didn't think of black models as nothing more than a "trend" to be tossed aside in favor of other models. But sadly, as soon as the black issue left the shelves each issue after that was filled with white models. This piece reminds me of that experience.
13
posted by guest
Jun 20, 2009 9:20PM
In response to Guest #12, I also feel like black models seem to be a trend. Or rather, an effort to find someone who fits the vibe Michelle Obama gives. After the public is less interested in her ever stylistic choice, I wonder if magazines and the fashion industry in general will stop casting these black models.
It's not even just that, but even while they're increasing they're casting of black models, you don't see that many Latina, Asian, mixed, etc. models on the runway or in print.
I don't consider Gisele representative of the Latina population. She's Brazilian, but I don't think many Latina girls can relate to her.
I think that more of our generation doesn't see in color (but I live in Georgia so that is to be determined). And I hope when they rise in the ranks of fashion and entertainment, they'll be able to change things.
14
posted by guest
Jun 21, 2009 10:55AM
Guest 13 as a Brasilian woman...Gisele is not Latina or Brasilian...she's German. Anyways, Like most of you, I too am waiting for the fashion industry to make a change, a REAL change towards the inclusion and celebration of women regardless of their ethnicity.
:-/
15
posted by darcykins
Jun 22, 2009 10:17AM
Guest 14, i think its a little bit silly to say Giselle isn't Brasilian. She's something like sixth generation. I would be offended if people said I wasn't Canadian because I'm only second generation.
Now I will say something that may come across as racist but I truly don't mean it to be but I think a large reason for the full spectrum of people not being represented in fashion has to do with the buyers, the editors, the designers and possibly most of all the customers. Not talking about models, how many black, latino, asian etc. people belong to the high ranks of the fashion industry compared to whites and how many that aren't part of the industry are buying couture compared to white people. I think the under representation of race is far more widespread than just in fashion though.
16
posted by kijjalyn
Jun 22, 2009 11:20AM
I have lots of opinions on this, but I will be brief. Love everything said by the 1st commentor. I think that fashion, like most things is a reflection of the underlying mindset of the general public. We all deal in norms and what we consider deviations from that norm. And it is difficult to escape the way you hve been conditioned to perceive the world without actively working to counteract that conditioning. When I got the Vogue Italia, the first thing I noticed was the lack of women of color in the ad campaigns, starkly contrasted agains the editorials. That is where I think the problem is the most visable.
Also, on the Gisele comments, there is a difference between ethnicity (heritage, culture, physical characteristics, origin, etc.) and nationality (country of citizenship). If you are black or of African descent, but born and raised in Japan and a legal citizen, you are both fully Japanese and fully black. Much like how Charlize Theron is South African or Gisele is Brasilian regardless of their ancestry.
17
posted by guest
Jun 23, 2009 3:12AM
There is a difference between ethnicity and nationality. 100% true. Gisele's ethnicity is german. German's colonized the area in of Brasil in which she grew up, basically turning the human beings of that area into a resource and German's still thrive over the native people in that area until this day. I said as a Brasilian woman (by ethnicity and nationality), I and many other's dont consider Gisele Brasilian or a true representation of Brasilian beauty. period.
18
posted by guest
Jun 23, 2009 7:16AM
miss guest 17, unless you believe that god set your people down in brazil you must realize brazil has no native people; they all came from somewhere else at sometime. maybe your family came from portugal 100 years before hers or from central asia 1000 years before that.
i think you and your many others sound very prejudice.
19
posted by guest
Jun 23, 2009 2:35PM
I'm not trying to sound prejudice. I study these things. So if you don't agree with me thats cool, different opinions are a beautiful thing. Any Brasilian woman I've spoken to about the topic does not see Gisele as ethnically Brasilian. I'm stating a FEELING. That is all.
posted by guest
Jun 19, 2009 4:46PM
while i do think that, whatever the catalyst might be, it's great that black women are now more than just a "sidebar" in the world of fashion/beauty, i have always found this oversight, if you will, sad.
as a creamy little white girl growing up, some of the women i looked up to and found to be so magnificently beautiful were (and still are) gladys knight, nina simone, and nichelle nichols. and never once did i think of them as beautiful "black" women--they have always been simply beautiful women.
it's always perplexed me that the fashion/beauty world has somehow (unknowingly?) been unable to simply see a beautiful woman as just that--a beautiful woman. unless she's the "standard" ivory-skinned, slender, caucasion beauty there's some sort of clarification attached--a beautiful latina/black/plus-size/asian/etc woman.
it is unfortunate, but i'm glad that it is changing for the better!