Black Models (Fashion Only Forum 2/29/00)

I read an editorial in the paper today by Nat Hentoff, the Constitutional scholar that writes for the Village Voice. He's one of the most sane and rational writers I know of, and I'll read anything he writes. He is never trivial. The article today was about racial attitudes of young Americans.

One of the paragraphs that he wrote struck me. He quoted a female American-Vietnamese college student, who had been surveyed about her "identity" at UC Berkeley. The presumption was that she was different than other Americans, though she'd been raised in "a predominantly Republican town in Northern California..." and had been turned by the system into an "Asian girl" whether she wanted to or not. She said she resented it.

My son, who is by law Hispanic, was offered an early summer class before his freshman year at Yale, in order to learn to compete in that environment. The class was only offered to Hispanics and Blacks. He too resented the implication, and didn't attend.

This got me to thinking about the obstacles that models might have to overcome due to skin-tone.

Modelling is one of the few places that race (I have some doubts about the meaning of "race" and if there even is a discreet meaning) may legally be taken in to account when hiring. Acting is another. In both cases gender, height, weight, and other visible stuff can also be used for selection. I think the reason is obvious. And I won't get into the demographics of marketing, because I don't know anything about them. Nor do I care much about marketing...I care alot about making beautiful photographs though.

Now I've photographed almost every skin-tone model there is. I have recently photographed several Black models, and have gotten inquiries from quite a few more. I've read on some of the other fora about some bias against Black models in fashion, and do believe it exists, but don't really care much. I'm not directly involved in any fashion industry - I just make photographs, and have no influence there.

On this subject, I'd like to go on record as saying that I enjoy photographing Black models. And Asian models. And Hispanic models. And White models. Actually, I enjoy photographing models, regardless of skin tone, continent of origin, religious tradition, hair color, educational attainment, veteran's status, physical challenges, tenure in modelling, etc. Despite all this, I do prefer to photograph women, and prefer to not photograph minors, so I'm not exactly an equal opportunity photographer.

Back to Black. Until recently, successful Black models have been those that had "White" features. Beverly Johnson, Naomi, Tyra, Iman, etc. They are beautiful. Alek Wek has caused quite a stir. An African model with classic African features is knocking them dead. She's controversial - because she doesn't look "White." She reminds people that beauty isn't limited to European standards, but varies by culture and by geography.

I'd picked up a little book in the airport in Frankfurt awhile back called Black Ladies. The book was by German photographer Uwe Ommer, and is mostly nudes of African women. It is excellent, and made me think about the universality of beauty, rather than the distinctions and regionalisms of beauty. Beauty exists in all colors and shapes, and if my eyes hold out, and the taxman doesn't take my cameras, I will continue trying to make beauty in my work with all the variety I can.

I don't expect to post on specific colors again. Any models (well, female and over 18) who would like to test with me are encouraged to write.

-Don