I love reading Links a la Mode, Independent Fashion Bloggers’ weekly wrap of 20 noteworthy blog posts. It’s a good resource for quality fashion blogs and last week, Vahni of Grit and Glamour edited an inspired collection of writings based around the theme of LOVE. I discovered a post by Consider Me Lovely on her experience of being a dark-skinned black girl in which she shared a video by Bill Duke on a topic about which many of us may not have been familiar.
Top fashion photographer Nick Knight has dedicated his talent, time and money to expanding the narrow definition of beauty in the fashion industry. He’s been outspoken about challenging advertisers who tell him he can’t photograph black women for campaigns because they’re not “aspirational” and created a two-minute fashion film starring Naomi Campbell to broadcast his disgust at racism in the industry. Click to view on Youtube:
Knight’s efforts are laudable and his film features a top-rated model, designer gowns by Rodarte, and impeccable visuals. What we get from a fashion blogger who covers that same subject is a highly personal insight into the effects of such racism – not as expensive, but even more powerful.
The merits of fashion blogs over traditional media are hotly debated: blogs are more immediate and they democratize the previously exclusive world of fashion. One area in which they reign which is often ignored (or seen as a detriment) is that they celebrate diverse images of beauty and discuss personal and political ideas around fashion and self-esteem. Bloggers tell the truth about their own experience and that’s what sets them apart from traditional reporters. Blogging is revolutionary and that’s exactly why the old boys (and girls) sometimes seek to discredit it.
What do you think?
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It gets to a point where it’s no longer a matter of who is creating the best content, or what is the most engaging. It’s who knows how to market themselves best. Sounds kind of ridiculous, but it’s become a standard in both industries.
And, like all other new verticals fighting against their stodgy counterparts? Eventually, everyone remembers that content is king (or queen for us!) and the full shift occurs. We’re getting there.
Very true about marketing – you can write the most kickass post but if no one reads it, what good does it do?
Firstly, I think these are such great and important topics to bring up. Living in the South for 3 years, I’ve been come very interested in the divide between blacks and whites but never realized that the black culture may be seen as divided by some.
Hair is such an interesting topic. My fiance has worked in predominantly (99%) black elementary schools and he told me that many of the young girls are fascinated with each others hair and with white people’s hair. I think that topic in the interviews is interesting as well.
I think blogging is a great platform to explore these links and topics (I did this post a few months ago on makeup for diverse women http://thosegraces.com/2011/02/natural-ivory-to-true-ebony-expanding-makeup-options-for-people-of-color/). It’s topics that magazines can’t or won’t touch on. Why would a major magazine lash out against L’Oreal for lightening Beyonce’s skin if L’Oreal is a major advertiser? Answer is: They won’t and can’t in a lot of ways.
I thought it was interesting–awhile ago Beyonce did a photo shoot for L’Officiel where they painted her face darker (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/22/beyonce-skin-darkened-blackface_n_826530.html). It was a hoopla because everyone was shocked that Beyonce was doing “black face.” (Seriously, Google “Beyonce in black face” and you’ll see.) Which ASTOUNDS me because in most of her ads they LIGHTEN her skin and yet no one says anything.
Very interesting about Beyonce! I do enjoy the way you talk about make-up and race – even the names of the foundation shades are worthy of discussion.
Another writer (Gala Darling) wrote about this yesterday (the same day my post about fashion, diversity and blogging went live). For all those who complain about the lack of diversity in the industry, perhaps they should start reading blogs. Ethnic diversity will do nothing for the vast majority of people if the models aren’t shaped like them. Honestly, I can’t see how a 5’11″ model of East Asian descent can help petite ol’ me get a better idea of how things would look. Can you?
Thanks so much for directing me to Gala’s post. I loved what she had to say in that article about fashion bloggers promoting diversity themselves simply by posting outfit shots.
I think perhaps you have pinpointed exactly what I love about blogs, they are about real people who are all beautiful in their own different ways, that is so much more inspirational than what magazines show.
I read an article by Gala Darling, too, that says we have the power to promote diversity ourselves simply by posting outfit shots on our blogs. I honestly didn’t think of it that way until today. It’s encouraging.
Thanks for this great post (and linking to me in it)!! One of the reasons I started a blog and started doing outfit post is because I didn’t (and don’t) see many people that look like me in traditional media. I hope that someone comes by my blog and says “wow she’s dark-skinned, has dreadlocks, has booty and hips, and still is very stylish!” I greatly appreciate the varying types of beautiful women I see when I read fashion blogs everyday!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. I love the way fashion bloggers talk about the way we feel about things in addition to reporting on fashion news. And, yes, some girl will see you and feel a little more included.
Here’s how I see the absence of people of color in fashion:
Fashion is the most under-analyzed art. Most of those who practice it deny it is an art. But as an art that flies under the radar, it is roiling with suppressed desires. It tears us down (makes us feel fat, poor, gauche) to build us up (make us glamorous, powerful, iconic). It’s like the paradox of high heels– makes us look strong and imperious, but makes us feel uncomfortable and off-balance; gives us beauty and symbolic status in exchange for actual mobility.
All those desires and beliefs our society feels ambivalent about, or refuses to admit to, come bubbling up in fashion. The bottom line is, society is not ready for women to be equal to men. Fashion reflects this by promoting a physical ideal the vast majority of us cannot attain (among other things). This is a form of punishment, oppression. Society is not ready for people of color to be equal to white people– colonialism is not over. Fashion reflects this by promoting whiteness as the ideal.
Fashion *is* aspirational. And no one aspires to be black. Either you’re black, and you may be fine with that, you may love your blackness. But I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a white or asian or any other kind of person who would willingly be changed into a black person, for the simple reason that black people are at a disadvantage in the world. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a white person who thinks s/he would be happier, more successful as an asian. As accepting and loving as fat people can be of themselves, I doubt you will find many thin people who would be happy to become fat. And who wants to be old? And who wants to be short, or in a wheelchair? I guess it’ll be a cold day in hell before you see proportionate representation of humans, as they really are, in fashion. And– as on the catwalk, so on the silver screen.
Glamour is a powerful instrument. By whom, and to what ends, is it wielded?
What a fantastic analysis. Your comment is worthy of a post in itself! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your view. It’s interesting: I was talking to a group of girls today about beauty ideals and fashion imagery and the word “aspirational” came up. It is something you can never attain and that’s the whole point.
That last comment is really, really interesting. But you know, I would willingly change into a black person if I could be an empowered black person, like Mrs. Obama. And I would willingly be in a wheel chair or disabled in some way if I could be empowered, or super enabled in some other respect, for example, as athletic as Aimee Mullins or as brilliant as Steven Hawking. I would also trade places with someone old if by doing so I would receive other gifts, such as avoiding a debilitating illness or trading an unhappy life for one full of love and happy memories.
Interesting food for thought.
It is not the least bit surprising to me that black models are not lauded in fashion, despite the entire “blackwashing” of fashion for the past few seasons.
What makes blogs truly great is that they are personal and unique and while brands haven’t caught onto the following and power of “normal” bloggers, I think we have to continue to post pictures and celebrate our differences.
I’m only realizing recently how powerful blogs are in promoting diversity simply by quietly posting photos of ourselves. It’s a revolutionary act and we don’t even realize it (least I didn’t).
Just wanted to add that I’ve always questioned why black models and celebs are usually biracial or light-skinned. Now I know; another place to promote diversity!
Blogging is the most cutting edge of news. I was at a dinner last night and we discussed how traditional media may be still referred to for certain coverage, but to get a real pulse on what’s going on- just check the blogosphere. And it is so true. Your examples perfectly capture how an unmanufactured blog captured something pervasive in a true light.
Happy to be part of the movement….
Print media and blogs can complement each other and there are some mags like Lucky that embrace blogs because they know they are the future. It goes deeper, too, in the sense there is a lot of money to be lost by fashion and beauty brands if everybody is seen as beautiful since their ad campaigns rely on promoting an elusive standard of beauty.
Congrats on LALM this week!!
Thanks, Darling!
Love this post!! I read through the comments before posting my own and I love what you pulled from Gala. Posting outfit photos is a great way to promote diversity and share our own unique style stories. Makes me want to post more often! Great post!
Thanks, Ashley. I’m glad the spirit of the post makes you want to post more often! Excellent outcome
Congrats on LALM! Great post. Thanks for bringing this issue to our attention and writing about it so eloquently. There needs to be more posts like this one out there
Corinne xo
Thank you, Corinne, for your kind words. I appreciate them and so glad you enjoyed the post
great post! Congrats on getting the IFB links a la mode – you really deserved it. The short film by Nick Knight was really powerful. Thanks for sharing. I would never have seen it otherwise.
Heather
http://thestyleconfessions.com/
Thanks, Heather, and thank you so much for the retweet as well. Nick Knight is such an amazing man to have in this community.