Most Ladymags Continuing To Experience Whiteout Conditions

January is traditionally the month in which the fashion magazines are slimmer than usual. Not the models — the actual publications. In the post-holiday issues, advertising pages are down, and compared to December, it's a slow month in terms of projects, news and celebrities. So often, January is the month you'll find a person of color on the cover! And lo and behold, Rihanna is on Allure, looking gorgeous. (Christina Aguilera is on Marie Claire.) Our own Maria-Mercedes Lara did a tireless search through the January issues of W, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Marie Claire, Allure, Glamour, Lucky, Elle and Cosmopolitan, looking for women of color (she uses "ambiguous race" to describe models clearly not meant to be seen as "white.") Her tallies, after the jump.

Women Of Color In The January Fashion Magazines:

W :
Total number of ads: 30
Total number of black women: 2 (1 celebrity; 1 young girl for Marc Jacobs)
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 1

Total number of fashion spreads: 2
Total number of black women: 0
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

InStyle:
Total number of ads: 61
Total number of black women: 4 (no celebs)
Total number of Asian women: 1
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Total number of fashion spreads: 0 (not counting Katie Holmes)
Total number of black women: 0
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Allure:
Total number of ads: 50
Total number of black women: 5 (3 celebrities)
Total number of Asian women: 1 (a "real woman" for Proactiv)
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 2 (1 celebrity)

Total number of fashion spreads: 1
Total number of black women: 0 (but Rihanna is on the cover!)
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Vogue:
Total number of ads: 54
Total number of black women: 8 (3 celebrities)
Total number of Asian women: 1 (1 celebrity)
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 1

Total number of fashion spreads: 3
Total number of black women: 1 (Chanel Iman, in the accessories spread)
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Harper's Bazaar:
Total number of ads: 29
Total number of black women: 1 (1 celebrity)
Total number of Asian women: 1 (1 celebrity)
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 2

Total number of fashion spreads: 3
Total number of black women: 1 (Liya Kebede, in an actual fashion spread!)
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Elle:
Total number of ads: 49
Total number of black women: 2
Total number of Asian women: 1
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 1

Total number of fashion spreads: 3
Total number of black women: 0
Total number of Asian women: 1 (Miss Universe, Riyo Mori)
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Lucky:
Total number of ads: 43
Total number of black women: 5 (1 celebrity, 1 "real woman")
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Total number of fashion spreads: 1
Total number of black women: 0
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Cosmopolitan:
Total number of ads: 59
Total number of black women: 5 (1 "real woman")
Total number of Asian women: 2 (1 "real woman")
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Total number of fashion spreads: 1
Total number of black women: 0
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Marie Claire:
Total number of ads: 31
Total number of black women: 5 (1 "real woman")
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 2 (1 "real woman")

Total number of fashion spreads: 2
Total number of black women: 0
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Glamour:
Total number of ads: 46
Total number of black women: 6 (2 celebrities)
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 1 (Jessica Alba?)

Total number of fashion spreads: 3
Total number of black women: 0
Total number of Asian women: 0
Total number of women of ambiguous race: 0

Even though January is a slow month, there are many zeroes in the tally above. Non-white models exist! You just won't see them in today's mainstream fashion magazines — despite the fact that black models worked constantly the '80s and '90s. Advertisers know who's out there spending cash, so they attempt to show diversity in their images. But the editors still seem to think that being non-white is "unfashionable." (But guess what? Black men are totally cool and cover-appropriate!) How long are we going to look for black, Latina and Asian models? As long as the billion dollar fashion industry continues to be so blatantly color-blind.

Earlier: Merry Christmas, Black Models, Wherever You Are
Where Are All The Black Models? Let's Start By Asking Anna Wintour
Is Prada To Blame For the Lack Of Black Models?
We're Still Looking For Black Models
Men's Vogue: Not Afraid Of Black People
What's The Message Behind A Black Man In Heels On The Cover Of Vogue?

Related: Black Men Add Color (Green) to the Holidays for Major Men's Magazines [AdAge]

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