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.
The energy of Paris Fashion Week is the type of thing that sticks around for life. After only my first experience with a monumental fashion week, I’m already addicted to the atmosphere, the vitality, and the fashion that exudes from every corner of Paris. Though the energy died down a bit- everyone gets exhausted by the end of Fashion Month- there was still so much beauty and inspiration to be seen. Already nostalgic, I can’t wait for next season’s madness and excitement. But hopefully next time I’ll be reporting from the other side ;).
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?
A look from Sharon Wauchob’s spring/summer 2014 collection
Magdalena Frackowiak leaving Balmain
My current favorite, Malaika Firth leaving the Lanvin show
Grace Mahary at Dries van Noten
Fei Fei Sun at Dries van Noten
Kai Newman
Meghan Collison
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
