Supermodels Naomi Campbell and Iman are leading the charge to battle racism and promote diversity on the runway at New York Fashion Week.
As part of an advocacy group called “Diversity Coalition”, the models have named and shamed high profile designers who they say are sending a negative message by using a virtually all-white cast of models in their shows.
An open letter to governing bodies of fashion weeks across the world reads like a who’s who of the industry, where Campbell, Iman, and former model turned advocate Bethann Hardison call out Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Armani and other top designers for using “on or no models of colour” out of dozens in their most recent shows.
Campbell dazzled in Diane von Furstenberg’s fashion week finale, but the 43-year-old told GMA the DVF show was the exception to what the models are calling racism on the runway.
“It’s really shocking,” she said.
“Heartbreaking. Your body and beauty, it doesn’t matter what colour you are. If you’ve got the right talent, you should be there having the opportunity to do the job.”
Iman, the 58-year-old supermodel turned makeup mogul and wife of David Bowie, who is also demanding diversity on the runway, was outraged that not much has changed since she made it big in the 1970s.
“There were more black models working then than in 2013,” she said.
“There is a time when silence is not acceptable at all. And if the conversation cannot be had publicly in our industry, then inherently there is something wrong with the industry.”
Though they did not hesitate to name and shame offenders, the models wanted to clarify they did not consider the designers themselves racist, but that a culture of racism had become accepted in the fashion industry.
In Australia, members of the fashion industry are encouraged to adhere to the government’s voluntary code of conduct for body image which advocates diversity in the choice of models.
“When seeking to demonstrate good practice in diversity, organisations are encouraged to use a wide range of body shapes, sizes and ethnicities that are appropriate to the audience that a message or product is targeting,” the code of conduct reads.
