One of Britain’s leading model agents has offered a disturbing insight into the racial discrimination holding back the careers of black models in the British fashion indusrty The Independent reports.
“Sadly we are in the business where you stock your shelves with what sells,” Carole White, co-founder of Premier Model Management said. “According to the magazines, black models don’t sell,” White continued. “People don’t tend to talk about it, but black models have to be so beautiful and perfect because we can’t have a lot of diversity with black models; it’s harder work for the agency because there’s not so much on offer. White models can have more diversity.” she said.
This month’s 362-page Marie Claire has eight photographs featuring black women and four examples are in the current 312-page Glamour magazine. It looks that using of black models in catwalk shows and magazines is tending to be limited to a handful of “big names” such as Campbell, the Ethiopian Liya Kebede and Alek Wek, who is Sudanese.
“There is a lack of women of colour within the fashion industry which needs to be addressed. It is important for the agents, managers, advertisers and designers who are promoting change to speak out. We are not here to complain, we need to find a solution.” said Ms Campbell, a former Premier model.
Responding to the latest evidence of racism in the industry, Ms Campbell’s manager, Bethann Hardison, said: “The problem for me is that, in the 1980s and early 1990s, there was a good representation of black people on the catwalks and in the magazines. It’s not like black models never had a sense of participation. Once you have climbed to the top of the mountain and crossed the river it is disappointing to have fallen all the way back down again.”
