Naomi Campbell Says Companies Using Recession As Excuse Not to Hire Black Models
Supermodel Naomi Campbell is speaking out, saying that the recession is being used as an excuse for companies not to use black models in their ad campaigns. The Telegraph reports:
"This year, we have gone back all the way that we had advanced," she says. "I don't see any black woman, or of any other race, in big advertising campaigns."
Campbell, who was born in London to a mother of Caribbean descent, refers to the publication last year of a special edition of Italian Vogue dedicated to non-white models.
"That made some noise, but, unfortunately, we are the same as before," she says. "People, in the panic of the recession, don't dare to put a girl of colour in their campaign, full stop. Nor of any other race. It's a shame. It's very sad."
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In 1988, Campbell appeared on the cover of French Vogue as its first black cover girl after Yves St Laurent, her late friend and mentor, threatened to withdraw all of his advertising from the magazine following its refusal to place Campbell, or any black model, on its
front page. She also became the first black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue.
Earlier this year, she described the fashion industry as "racist". In a magazine interview, she was quoted as saying "You know, the American president may be black, but, as a black woman, I am still an exception in this business. I always have to work harder to be treated equally."
Designer Bruce Oldfield agreed with Naomi saying, "It's absolutely true that black models will be not as popular for advertising companies and magazine covers as white girls...In a recession, it's probably doubly difficult for black girls to get a booking."
Well, let's see. There's Halle Berry for Revlon. Beyonce has quite a few commercial contracts. Rihanna and Queen Latifah both have CoverGirl contracts. Serena and Venus Williams have many endorsement deals. So that's six we can think of, which certainly is not very many. But they are all celebrities, either in music or sports. None of them are models, which is what we think Naomi is getting at. Tyra Banks has said that all models are losing cosmetics contracts lately because the companies want to hire established celebrities, not models. And black models land even fewer contracts than white models.
