A dearth of black models strutting the catwalks is a persistent issue in the fashion world and while the numbers have improved, there are still too few, fashion observers say. At New York's semi-annual Fashion Week ending on Friday, many designers used two or three black models, in the more than 30 shows attended by Reuters reporters. Several only used one, and some had none. Most of the shows featured between 12 and 25 models.

Labels Tracy Reese, DKNY and Diane von Furstenberg displayed a high number of black models this season while others, such as Vivienne Tam, did not use any. Too few industry types are following the lead of former Vogue editor Grace Mirabella, the first to use a black model on the magazine's cover, said Tim Gunn, creative director at Liz Claiborne and co-host of Bravo television's "Project Runway." Some designers consider cultural and ethnic diversity on the runway, "but there are not enough," he said.

Every day was packed with castings for the shows. And a lot of those castings were huge cattle-calls, where herds of models weaved through the hallways and staircases, spilling out the door, grazing the sidewalk all the way down the block, all vying for a few precious spots on the designer's show roster, each of us believing that we had a good shot. Yeah, right. This day was no exception. It was the casting for a VERY famous designer. I was on line for at least an hour or so, which SUCKS but that's what you got to do, so you do it. I finally get to the room, where the VERY famous designer is sitting at a long table with a few associates. I say hello, hand my portfolio over, and proceed to "walk" (please reference "Top Model"). I do so and then the VERY famous designer says to me, with a smile of course, "Joy, you are soooo beautiful, but I'm not using black girls this season." (Insert sound of record scratching here). Yeah, he actually said that to my 'beautiful' face. He's lucky he didn't get a black eye.