Runway

A Problem Worth Solving

· Features, Runway · , , , , ,

Fashion Month just concluded, and according to Business of Fashion, out of the 3,875 model bookings only 797 were models of color. This means about 79.4% of the models who walked in the recent shows in New York, London, Milan, and Paris were white. Only 10.2% were black, 6.5% were Asian, 2.3% were of South Asian, Indian, and/or Middle Eastern descent, and just 1.6% were Hispanic or Latina. Though technically an improvement, there is only a three percentage point difference from the spring 2015 ready-to-wear shows a year ago. And whitewashed runways lead to whitewashed editorials and ad campaigns; out of the 611 covers published by the 44 biggest magazines in fashion in 2014, just 18% featured people of color, while about 90% of advertisements featured white models.

We’re going to drop the objective journalistic act for a second and say that this is bullshit.

Read more

The Casting Catastrophe

· Features, Models, Runway · , , , , , ,

The lights dimmed, and the first statuesque figure turned the corner around the massive purple sand dunes at the spring 2015 Prada show. There she was. After six long years since a runway appearance, and even after she allegedly quit modeling for good, Gemma Ward was back. Many could state that her appearance suggests a restoration of the days when models had recognizable names, faces, and personas. Sure, the era of the supermodel was long-gone by the time Ward and her contemporaries had peaked in the mid-2000s, but memorable, unique, and multifaceted beauty was still in. These days, that’s not the case.

Sure, some other notable industry icons walked the runways this season besides just Gemma Ward. Lara Stone made a rare runway appearance at Prada, too, as did Jessica Stam. Stam also popped up at Public School in New York, Mugler in Paris, and many more shows this season. Meanwhile, Naomi Campbell, Mariacarla Boscono, Natasha Poly, Jourdan Dunn, Karlie Kloss, and other established mannequins counteracted the larger trend of the “blank slate.” But aside from a handful of girls who embody what it means to be a model, this season’s casting was the saddest yet.

Is this really what the fashion industry is coming to? While the idea of a model being a “blank slate” was originally intended to place a higher emphasis on the clothes, all-white casts of – for lack of a better word – strikingly unattractive teenagers has become an even bigger distraction.

Of course, the biggest problem with the casting this season was the lack of diversity. It comes as a major shock that after a couple seasons of mild improvements, casts have been seemingly more whitewashed than ever before. The bad habits reared their ugly heads once again: one or two black models was the norm at most shows, with even less Asian models on the runways, and almost no models of South Asian, Middle Eastern, or Latina descent. Some even thought it would be okay to send all of their models of color down the runway at once.

Did we all forget about Bethann Hardison‘s amazing work in an attempt to diversify the runways less than a year ago? Hardison just received a CFDA award a few months ago for her efforts. Has that just been erased from everyone’s memory? The usual perpetrators were back at it this season. Casts appeared whiter than ever at Calvin Klein, Rodarte, Jil Sander, Céline, John Galliano, Dior, Proenza Schouler, and more. Meanwhile, Simon Porte Jacquemus deleted comments and blocked users on Instagram who criticized his all-white cast, stating offense because of his supposed obsession with women who look like his mother. Sorry, but the Oedipus Complex doesn’t qualify as a valid excuse for racist casting.

Even labels with typically diverse casts fell behind this season. Riccardo Tisci previously mentioned his advocacy of diversity on the runway, but at his latest show for Givenchy, that didn’t translate. Nor did Tom Ford’s penchant for a cast of multiethnic sex bombs; does Natalie Westling’s excruciating hobble really represent this label?

This issue poses an even bigger problem that people might not be conscious of. Again, models aren’t the household names that they once were, save Cara, Karlie, Gisele, and their contemporaries. But models are still everywhere. The girls that walk all of these shows will be the ones to snatch up the advertisements, and these large-scale visions of what is beautiful will perpetuate and even worsen the already twisted beauty standards around the globe. Why would a brand want to be seen as a bastion of white supremacy, represented by a hard-to-look-at 16-year-old nonetheless? And for the casting supposedly “based on socioeconomics,” why would you want to alienate yourself completely from certain groups?

On the bright side, there are still a few brands whose presentations should be commended. Of course, there’s always room to be improved in this department, but labels like Balmain, Burberry Prorsum, Diane von Furstenberg, and Rick Owens showed that it is possible to cast a more diverse range of models, while recognizable faces of all ethnic backgrounds don’t take away from the clothes. Meanwhile, relative newcomers like Malaika Firth, Issa Lish, Binx Walton, Bhumika Arora, Leila Nda, and Aya Jones provided a hopeful view of the multiethnic runways and memorable figures to come. The struggle towards diversifying the runway isn’t about all-black, all-Asian, or all-any other type of show. Instead, it shouldn’t be seen as some type of major surprise if a lineup consists of a proportionate amount of models from various ethnicities. There’s a time and a place for Harleth Kuusik, and there’s no reason why she can’t walk the runway alongside girls like Dylan Xue and Emely Montero.

Of course, there is so much more to this issue; we haven’t even touched menswear, and we could get way more in-depth from a sociological and historical framework. To the people getting annoyed by the incessant discussion of this topic in the fashion sphere: it’s just as annoying to have to keep bringing it up. This piece isn’t meant to call out a bunch of designers, cyber-bully models, or cause unnecessary Internet drama within the industry. None of the designers’ immense talent is in question, as even some of the most disappointing casts carried some insanely beautiful work. But it’s time to wake up. If calling out racist actions causes a stir, then maybe that’s what the industry needs. This isn’t the 1950s (not that racism was ever okay), and it’s time for the fashion industry to catch up to the rest of the world. And while this type of change won’t happen overnight, we could at least start seeing more unique beauties like in years past. Let’s hope that Gemma Ward’s return will usher in a resurgence of inspiring, immensely beautiful fashion models, and let’s hope that diversity comes along with it.

 

Tell us how you feel about the current climate of the modeling industry, and don’t hesitate to repost and share this article.

DSC_01872 copy

Paris Fashion Week Diary: Part III

· Celebrities, Inspiration, Models, Runway, Street Style · , , , , , , , , , ,

DSC_01292 copy

DSC_00102 copy

dsc_088 copy DSC_0072 copy2 DSC_0121 copy DSC_0137 copy DSC_00312 copy DSC_00382 copy DSC_00383 copy DSC_00422 copy DSC_00432 copy DSC_00502 copy DSC_00552 copy DSC_00792 copy DSC_00972 copy DSC_01032 copy DSC_01062 copy DSC_01293 copy DSC_01362 copy DSC_01452 copy DSC_01602 copy DSC_01702 copy DSC_01872 copy DSC_01882 copy DSC_01922 copy DSC_01972 copy DSC_02002 copy

What would fashion week be without the glamor and the stars? The endless parade of models and street style is bound to feature a few appearances from major celebrities, including a very chaotic, blurry frenzy surrounding Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s presence at the Givenchy spring/summer 2014 show (very poorly depicted above). But it doesn’t stop there. Carine Roitfeld popped up around the city she calls home, representing a notion that could be reflected throughout the rest of these fashion week activities. The comfort of “home” could be seen amongst the attendees and other characters in the fashion fête, as everyone appeared in a natural, genuine environment. It’s the true sense of the term “candid” that really defines Paris Fashion Week.

DSC_0175 copy

Paris Fashion Week Diary: Part II

· Events, Inspiration, Models, Runway, Street Style · , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

DSC_0057 copy
DSC_0040 copy
DSC_00062 copy DSC_0146 copy DSC_0153 copy IMG_1152 copy IMG_1155 copy IMG_1162 copy  IMG_1182 copy IMG_1248 copy IMG_1260 copy IMG_1262 copy IMG_1273 copy IMG_1279 copy IMG_1283 copy IMG_1291 copy IMG_1303 copy IMG_1318 copy IMG_1324 copy IMG_1364 DSC_0004 copy DSC_0016 copy DSC_0117 copy DSC_0144 copy DSC_0150 copy DSC_0175 copy  DSC_00652 copy DSC_01412 copy
DSC_01432 copy

If the last post didn’t do it for you, there’s plenty more Paris Fashion Week where that came from (please excuse that awful cliché). Those few ensembles that are less thirsty and more tasteful truly give me life; impeccable style is honestly its own art form. But let’s be real, insane outfits can get a little tiresome. What never seems to get old, however, is seeing models in person, as the stunning faces that grace magazines and runways are even more mind-bogglingly incredible in real life. What especially stood out to me was a more personal encounter with my current favorite, Malaika Firth. In her first season, the exquisite Kenyan-born mannequin is already owning runways, though she balances her success with a pleasant, polite attitude. When struggling to understand a French voicemail, I had the privilege to briefly aid her, commemorated by the photo above. Sorry if I seem like an obsessive fan, but it’s not every day I’m exceptionally inspired by a model, especially not a new face. Not since Gemma Ward’s heyday has a girl looked so amazing.

Okay, but let’s stay on topic.

On a less positive, though extremely humorous note, protestors from the Ukrainian feminist group, FEMEN stormed the Nina Ricci runway earlier this week, making headlines for their shirtless shenanigans. Yes, two members of the radical organization really took their tops off to reveal the phrases “model do not go to brothel” and “fashion dictaterror.” I’m not really sure what these ladies were trying to accomplish, as their poorly written slogans imply illiteracy. Unfortunately, FEMEN’s ability to make it on the runway resulted in heightened security at the rest of Paris’ top shows. Keep it classy, ladies.

There’s plenty more to be said about wonderful encounters with the likes of Grace Coddington, Anna Dello Russo, Liu Wen, and others, as well as precious puppies at Maison Martin Margiela and melancholy makeup at Comme des Garçons. But why not have a look for yourself?

All photos by me

DSC_0092 copy

Paris Fashion Week Diary: Part I

· Events, Inspiration, Models, Runway, Street Style · , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Anna Wintour leaving the Rochas show

Lindsey Wixson and I

IMG_1100 copy

IMG_1120 copy

A look from Sharon Wauchob’s spring/summer 2014 collection

IMG_1146 copy

Magdalena Frackowiak leaving Balmain

IMG_1202 copy

My current favorite, Malaika Firth leaving the Lanvin show

DSC_0069 copy

Grace Mahary at Dries van Noten

DSC_0074 copy

Fei Fei Sun at Dries van Noten

DSC_0111 copy

Kai Newman

Meghan Collison

IMG_1047 copy IMG_1081 IMG_1103 copy IMG_1195 copy DSC_0023 copy DSC_0029 copy DSC_0033 copy DSC_0043 copy DSC_0078 copy DSC_0092 copy DSC_0123 copy DSC_0126 copy DSC_0129 copy

Though I unfortunately wasn’t able to attend many of the shows during Paris Fashion Week spring/summer 2014 (hopefully I’ll be among the glamorous guests next time), the atmosphere alone provided an amazing first taste of a fashion week experience. We saw stellar collections within the first few days, several of which I hope to review as soon as possible; from Dries van Noten to Rochas to everything in between, the City of Lights was more vibrant than ever during the routine week-long extravaganza de la mode. But there’s just as much to be seen off the runways with unlimited models, celebrities, and street style.

Speaking of the latter, “peacocking” was at its peak, as you can probably tell from some of the exorbitantly extravagant ensembles. The ubiquitous French term for the shows is défilé, which literally translates to “parade,” and the sidewalk sideshows definitely embodied that concept.

However, that’s a topic for a separate discussion, and just like the actual collections, you can expect me to elaborate soon. But for now, here’s the first look at the atmosphere, the energy, and the cast of Paris Fashion Week spring/summer 2014. Enjoy!

All photos taken by me with select photos from my Instagram