Iman and Naomi Campbell Fight Back Against Racism on the Runway

In what GMA is calling an “unprecedented” move, supermodels Iman, Naomi Campbell and Bethann Hardison are going after racism on the runway and publicly calling out the designers who fail to hire a diverse cast of models. While it’s not actually unprecedented — Jezebel’s own Jenna Sauers and Dodai Stewart have been calling out the fashion world on its whitewashing since 2008 — their actions and outspokeness could have a profound and positive impact, especially considering that Iman and Naomi Campbell are two of the most powerful, high profile models in the business.

“There were more black models working [in the ’70s] than there were in 2013,” Iman, on behalf of Diversity Coalition, told GMA‘s Juju Chang. “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.”

In an open letter to the CFDA, Diversity Coalition names Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Armani among the worst offenders.

Fashion Icons Naomi Campbell, Iman Demand Diversity on ‘Racist’ Runway [GMA]