Fashion ShitList of 2008 #1: Lack of Diversity

Finally, sittin' pretty at the top is my number 1 pick out of all the most godawful "trends" of 2008: lack of diversity in the fashion industry. What gives? It is yet another reinforcement of the white aesthetic as the "only" standard of beauty. When Italian Vogue released the first-ever "all-black issue" this year, it only served as a reminder that even up to now, there is still a void of nonwhite representation in fashion magazines. As amazing as the issue was, it is still rather disappointing that after its incredible success, American Vogue did not follow suit, nor did any other Eurocentric fashion magazines. More disappointing is that the magazines still continue to cater mainly to white women. Vogue India launched last year, and gracing the cover of the very first issue was Australian supermodel Gemma Ward at the center, while two famous Bollywood actresses, Bipasha Basu and Priyanka Chopra, were out of focus and positioned to Gemma's left and right. This is Vogue India we're talking about here. It's quite obvious that there is something very wrong when the model in the center of the Indian Vogue is not even close to Indian, while the actual Indian ladies are pushed to either side.


During New York fashion week, we saw virtually all white models, as per usual. There would be one or two token Asian or black models in the mix, but not much more. I find it very confusing because it's not like it's slim-pickens when it comes to finding models of color with gorgeous, edgy looks for fashion-forward designs. What about the Alek Weks, Chanel Imans, Daul Kims, and Naomi Campbells of the runway? Jezebel gives a detailed breakdown how many black, Asian, and Latina models were seen on the catwalk for each designer during fashion week. I was pleased to read that Tracey Reese, a very notable and successful African-American designer, used 8 models of color. It was out of 23, but I suppose it is a lot compared to other designers. However, I was still surprised that the majority of her models chosen were white. On another note, I was also happy to see that one of my all-time favorite designers, Diane von Furstenberg, used many models of color as well. However, designers such as Jovovich-Hawk, Jill Stuart, and Calvin Klein had a grand total of zero.



Clearly, the steps that fashion designers, editors, and photographers have taken to incorporate more diversity are way too small or just insincere. One magazine sold a gimmicky all-black issue, yet the runways and magazines remain lactified. I hate to get all political and racially sensitive and shit, but white women are not the only ones who buy or wear those clothes, dammit. It would just be nice to know that while perusing the pages of Bazaar or Vogue, I don't have to use so much of my imagination to see if that bright red peacoat would look as good on my brown skin as it does on the model's fair, pinkish complexion. Hopefully this is a "trend" that we can leave behind in 2008, and move towards a more progressive industry in which the rest of us can be a part of.

And so, in saying goodbye to the wonderful year that was 2008, I also hope to say goodbye to the awful trends that came with it ;] Here's to a better, brighter, and more stylish new year. Happy 2009!