All Articles Tagged "New York Fashion Week"
Where Are All the Black Models? Diversity Is Missing from ‘T’ Mag & The Catwalk
The Marc Jacobs Fall 2013 fashion show last week. AP Photo/Kathy Willens
The new editor of The New York Times’ T magazine had to respond to a discussion that began after the latest issue of the fashion supplement reached readers this weekend. People remarked that the issue was noticeably monochromatic, with lots and lots (and lots) of white models. One reader, Susan Clark of Annandale, VA, said very specifically, “I assume the ads cannot be controlled, but I saw only one African-American and one Asian-American among the thousands of models in the ads. The T doesn’t look like my neighborhood or America.” OK!
Editor Deborah Needleman, recently of The Wall Street Journal responded. “It was something I noticed and regretted as we were putting the issue together. We are a global magazine and so would like the content , subjects and geography of stories to reflect that,” she began.
“A majority of fashion models are still unfortunately mostly white, but it is our aim to celebrate quality and beauty in all its diverse forms.”
To that end, Jezebel took a look at the level of diversity on the New York Fashion Week catwalks and it was notably lacking. According to numbers the site gathered, Style.com covered 151 shows with 4,479 looks. Of those, 3,706 — or 82.7 percent — were worn by white models. Asian models wore 9.1 percent of the looks (409), black models wore 270 looks, or six percent. And non-white Latina models wore two percent of the looks, or 90 of them.
J.Crew, Badgley Mischka, Diane von Furstenberg, Rebecca Taylor, and Zac Posen were among the designers who did feature models of color, while Calvin Klein and Juicy Couture were among those that had no models of color. Overall, there was less diversity on the runways this year than last.
The site, which has been tracking these numbers for five years, says that, within the industry, this preference for white models drives down pay for those who do get jobs, and makes it particularly difficult for the models of color who are vying for the few spots available. But there are larger implications also.
“And outside the industry — because the models who rise to the top of the heap doing runway are the models who go on to do the magazine covers, the cosmetics campaigns, the luxury brand ads, the billboards, and the TV commercials that girls all over the world can’t help but grow up consuming — it promotes the idea that beauty means having white skin,” the site says.
The fashion industry, known for boundless diversity in its creativity, must recognize the diversity in humans and celebrate it along with their designs.
Fashion Gone Digital: Diddy Throws First Instagram Fashion Show
via Instagram
You know Sean “Diddy”‘ Combs always has something up his tailored sleeve. When he first got into the entertainment game he has became known as the unique marketing — literally taking it to the streets when promoting the late Notorious B.I.G. and his own record label Bad Boy. Soon it became the norm to see a crowd carrying Bad Boy picket signs at all the major music industry events.
So now in this high-tech age, Diddy has turned to social media to promote his Sean John jean fashions. The hip-hop mogul recently held the first ever Instagram Fashion Show during New York’s fashion week.
“In honor of New York Fashion Week we wanted to do something that has never been done before”, said Combs in a press release (via The Huffington Post). “With Instagram technology we are bringing Sean John to the social media runway where our consumer lives.” Combs (aka @iamdiddy) posted his Fall 2013 collection in order to reach people via their smartphones. Every 30 minutes on Friday from 10 am to 5pm, he posted the images.
We’ve got a few of the images after the jump, ICYMI. Any favorites?
Report: More Models of Color on NYFW Runways, Still Only 8.1 Percent of “Looks” Worn By Black Models
A model in the Todd Lynn show. Image: Rex Features via AP Images
Jezebel has done an exhaustive analysis of the 143 shows and live presentations that took place during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and found that there were more models of color walking the runways than years past. Still, the overwhelming percentage of models (79.4 percent) were white. That means that, of the 4708 “looks” shown, 3,736 were worn by white models.
Fewer than 10 percent (8.1 percent, to be precise) were black. Asian models actually came in second with 10.1 percent representation, followed by Latinas at 1.9 percent and finally, the elusive “others” were .5 percent.
“These results may be partly attributed to the season, because one trend that is apparent in our data is the preference for slightly more models of color at the spring-summer collections and slightly fewer at the fall-winter collections, which may be due to a belief on the part of casting directors that darker skin tones suit the bright colors of spring clothes better than they do fall’s more somber hues,” the site reports, based on off-the-record sources.
Still, six percent of shows had no models of color and 20 percent had three or fewer. Among the more diverse shows were Tracy Reese, Jason Wu, Ralph Lauren and Betsey Johnson.
Even before the Jezebel report, The Wall Street Journal was crowing about the diversity on the runways, using as an example Singapore-born Prabal Gurung, who gave the quote that pretty much sums up the whole issue: “Beauty is beauty.” In terms of race, he says he’s also looking to provide role models for his niece.
But ultimately, it’s about the market. That Journal story goes on to talk about the huge Chinese luxury market and how the desire to appeal to it played a role in the increased number of Asian models participating in NYFW. (If that’s something you’d like more info about, read Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster which has a stunning section about the shopping habits of this growing market.)
The top Asian model was Liu Wen, who walked in 21 shows. Cora Emmanuel topped the list for black models, walking in 17 shows. Number two on Jezebel’s list is Joan Smalls with 14 shows. She’s originally from Puerto Rico.
Overall, the fashion consumer is a diverse one, and the industry should recognize that and reflect it in its shows. With a more diverse crop of young designers coming up through the ranks, a more mixed group of models will likely be coming to the catwalk soon.
Style To Steal Or Girl, Stop: June Ambrose, Solange Knowles & More Do It Big For NY Fashion Week
For the fierce and fashionable, it’s that time of the week again to tear apart or applaud some of the most eclectic style choices of the week. Yes, it’s Style to Steal or Girl, Stop time! Being that this was the last week of New York Fashion Week, we collected some interesting looks that we thought you’d want to see, get inspiration from, or stay far, far away from. Let’s get it started!
Solange Knowles was caught walking the streets of NYC trying to get to the Mercedes-Benz fashion week shows. For them, she was clearly trying to mix it up with her prints and have all eyes on her. We’re seeing dots, houndstooth, and leopard print. She paired a short sleeve top (with a pocket) with a high houndstooth skirt, and accessorized with leopard heels, a mustard yellow bag, a bright red lip and blown out strands. While I’m sure we’ll probably disagree, I’m actually a fan of the collection of prints that come together with her outfit. However, the hair is a no for me. I’m all for pressing out fros, but not like this. Yes on the ensemble though. What about you?
Work It! Orphaned Dominican Model Kills The Runway During NY Fashion Week
Source: Daily Mail
Fior Mendez is like the homeless-to-Harvard icon of the fashion world, viewers of the “Today” show found out this morning. When the 22-year-old Dominican beauty walked the runway at Lincoln Center during fashion week Friday, no one would have guessed she had just fled her home town of La Romana in the Dominican Republic two months prior. Even more astonishing is the fact that Fior landed in New York City because at 21 years old, she had been kicked out of the orphanage where she had grown up because she was too old and had nowhere else to go.
“I’m overwhelmed emotionally, it’s a dream,” she said speaking of her nearly overnight success.“I couldn’t imagine that a person like me would be doing this in New York City.”
Fior said she was invited by a good friend of the founder of the orphanage where she was staying to come live with her in New York City to learn English. Within just a short period of time, that led to a meeting with a casting agent, and an opportunity to walk the runway during New York Fashion Week for designer Nzinga Knight. It wasn’t until after the casting that Knight found out about Fior’s humbled beginnings.
“Mendez moved often with her mother and four siblings, and they rarely knew where the next meal would come from.
“When Mendez was 13, her mother decided she could no longer take care of all her children. She left the girl at Orfanato Niños de Cristo orphanage in the town of La Romana. Since then, Mendez has had no contact with her family.
“But she says she found a family of a different kind in the orphanage, where she spent eight years of her life. There she became part of a community and established herself as a “quiet leader,” quickly becoming the right-hand woman of Sonia Hane, the orphanage’s founder.
“‘I was very scared before,’ Mendez said. ‘I had no one place to live, so every night I went to sleep scared and didn’t know if I would get a meal.’”
Those are no longer her concerns today as the 5’10″ model focuses on establishing her life in New York with quite an amazing feat already under her belt. Excited to walk down the runway again sometime in the future, Fior also has other aspirations of going to school to study communications and eventually becoming a newscaster or spokesperson. She told the “Today” show of her ultimate goal:
“I want to help homeless children have a voice.”
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Get Cassie’s Fashion Week Look With These Budget Friendly Products
Singer Cassie sizzled with her black polish, liner, and crimson lips while taking in The Blonds Fall 2011 show during New York Fashion Week. We’re always huge fans of her makeup. Although she could wear anything and look good, we loved this look because it’s easy to recreate on a budget.
Find out how at StyleBlazer.com.
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Beauty, Cassie, cat eye, liquid eye liner, makeup, New York Fashion Week, red lip, styleblazer
Rachel Roy Fall 2012 – Collection Review + Hair & Makeup
(Source:all photos of outfits via Style.com)
For fall, Rachel Roy embraces earth tones like a pro and amps up her traditional sleek silhouettes with punches of color and tons of texture. Roy credits the documentary Women in Dirt as inspiration for the collection. It’s about women who create gardens within urban areas, a type of “modern landscape.” Her color palette mimics the inspiration by including rich plums, dazzling teals, rusted oranges, moss greens, and slate grays that look as if they were stolen right from nature.
The collection is comprised of separate pieces perfect for 9-to-5′ers, but are updated with modern twists. Monochromatic looks, the beloved color-blocking trend, and the use of multiple fabrics such as silk, leather and colorful furs are all ways twisted modernity comes into play.
Roy designs for the woman that carries herself with an air of sophistication and smidgen of edginess. Sound familiar? Then click through the gallery of memorable looks (grouped by trend) from her New York Fashion Week presentation, plus learn more about the hair and makeup looks.
Seen On The Scene: The Black Celebs and Designers Who Rocked NY Fashion Week
As Fashion week in New York City winds down, the images of beautiful designs and colors endure. Check out some of the celebs who were out and about during the grand style festivities.
All following images are sourced from Getty
Solange Knowles attends the Diane Von Furstenberg Fall 2012 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the The Theatre at Lincoln Center
Michelle Obama’s Fave Brand Dabbles in Fur, Leather and Prints
J.Crew presented his Fall/Winter 2012 collection at New York’s Fashion Week this past Tuesday. In the collection there is an abundance of luxurious fabrics— from short-haired furs to sumptuous leathers to python-prints. The bold patterns and textiles were mixed effortlessly and quite daringly, which is probably why it is one of Michelle Obama’s favorite fashion labels.
Check out the looks from the collection over at StyleBlazer.com.
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No Love For Black Designers At NY Fashion Week
It’s a dis-service to the over $1 trillion dollars of African American buying power that the black community possess. Black designers face a lack of promotion that keeps them from reaching the audience waiting to see what designs to buy next.
Dr. Valerie Steele, the director and chief curator of the museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, believes the problem lies in lack of funding for black designers.
“Well, fashion week is a multi-million dollar proposition,” she said to theGrio. “[E]ven for a designer to put on a small show can cost a hundred thousand dollars. So you have an enormous investment on the part of designers.”
B Michael of B Michael America was the only African American designer to showcase his work at a major presentation during the week. He believes that there just aren’t a lot of black designers in the fashion industry.
“I think that really has more to do with the fact that there are so few designers of color really in the business in this country,” he said. “And so, you just see that percentage as it relates to Fashion Week.”
Fashion Week wasn’t only short of African American designers. The week also lacked color in the faces walking down the runway.
“If you don’t have a lot of African-American models, I think that kind of translates into the designers,” Deena Campbell, associate editor of Uptown magazine said to theGrio. Campbell has been attending fashion week shows for years, and in her time she says she’s only seen about 10 or 15 black models at big shows, possibly even less than that.
Although African Americans may not have been seen strutting down the runway or crafting designs, Fashion Week wasn’t short of African American influence. Behind the scenes African Americans made up many of the leading and trendsetting stylists, makeup artists and show coordinators. While it may be a disappointment this year, perhaps the criticism will inspire African Americans to find a way to land among the front-of-the house and top rank fashion movers and shakers next year.
