<![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic - Jezebel Comments]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic - Jezebel Comments]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> Wow. I am a black model. and it's suicidal that no one cares about this issue!!! but pls watch because this change will start to hit every part of the fashion industry... fashion sets the trends for everything. This business is so silly yet so vital... I am just saying.. I won't be surpise if there is no blacks or latina's in the fashion industry in the next few years...

TeriEnyalius

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Jezebabe: Latin American and Spanish are COMPLETELY different. One is a mixture of different ethnic identities (see anything ever about conquistadores, Native Americans, and slavery), the other is almost exclusively European (with the exception of some Northern African [read Muslim, Arabic] who dropped by about 1300 years ago and were nearly completely purged about 800 years after that [ahem, Spanish Inquistion]). Dude. Learn your history. For SERIOUS.

Booksaretoo

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @brookidy: ... or anywhere else.

Booksaretoo

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> I think it's more to do with the season..designers & magazines become obsessed with one look or another..grecian goddess.. russian doll.. english rose.. brazillian...looking? & fashion very rarely ever reflects real life. I have no problem with it.

Dreamboat

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> As a redhead, I've always boycotted companies that don't use models or actors who look like me. Which is why I'm usually seen naked and on foot.

Amy Alkon

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> This is my first post ever. I am nervous and excited.
Deep Breath!
Here goes:
I have read about Runway Diversity on Jezabel since first visiting this site.
I get it. Diversity = Good.
And normally, I would agree.

But why are we demanding diversity in an industry that is harmful to women?
To me its like getting pissed off that Asian women, for example, are under represented in, i dunno, DUI deaths. Wanna march for that?
How many models died recently from starvation? Wasn't one Latina and one African? Better now?
I want to fight the good fight for something worth diversifing....not an industry that's exploitive. Not an industry which makes so many woman question their bodies.
I think the less women entering this disgusting career, the better.

jerseycityrocks

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> Yeah,

I am so sick of the fashion industry in the US talking about "edgy" when they give us the same thing all the time w/o challenging our assumptions in any way:

pale E Asian/hapa woman- posed in an igloo or cheongsam; hair in chopsticks w/ Kabuki-inspired makeup
dark E/SE Asian woman- posed in a lei and grass skirt or sarong
mestizo Latina (not European looking)- in bullfighter/flamenco/peasant skirt/fringe/red lips, etc.
Black woman- animal print bikini/"urban" fashion
desi woman- posed w/ a bindi, sari, henna, and elephant
redhead- in a field for an autumn/winter spread
short-haired woman- menswear

Women of color are people too! And we should not be judged on another's standard of beauty.

lunanoire

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> I'm sorry -- but WTF? Runways are about cash, not correctness. And the folks who make and buy couture don't care about culture, they deal with clothes. Saying runways only hire white girls is like saying water is wet.

donmiguel

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @LaFemme:
Exactly. Anyone who claims that a fair-skinned Latina or Hispanic model is perceived or treated the same as a dark-skinned one is either terminally naive or willfuly disingenuous.

On a sort of related topic: It's no accident that many of the well-to-do immigrants from Cuba tended to be fair-skinned and European-looking while the criminals during the boatlift tended to be dark-skinned. Many Latino societies discriminate based on color.

@Dodai:
Word. What you said is even more true of the couture shows. Something like 300 women in the world can afford those clothes. Haute couture shows usually lose money. Why are they put on? To build buzz for the brand, which is licensed to make cheaper goods for consumers with smaller wallets. Many of them are black and brown women.

Seeräuber Jenny

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @LaFemme: I agree that putting Latina models on the runway who look exactly the same as European models is missing the whole point. I think that designers should hire darker skin models as well, and it is unfortunate that they are too narrow-minded to see how much more beautiful their shows could be if they had a variety of different ethnicities. However, I do think that Latina models who are European-looking should be included in the Latina category.

Latino_Heat

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @dummyfakeroller:
Oh, ok I see were you are coming from on that respect and yes, as of late they have tried really hard to un-diversify all the models-which is why they all look so bland and why the best model-which I agree and have worked with; are the most plain-the blank canvas. What you are saying does make sense and I feel this is probably the feeling for a lot of designers too...and I have seen that and can see why the clothes would stand out. I guess the fact is that I don't see myself or darker people as 'exotic'. I see us as 'plain' and I forget in an industry that is 85% dominated by white people-well, they are bound to see us as 'exotic'-thus maybe taking away the attention from the clothes due to the 'novelty'? Thing is that they've effed up cause in the past-man, the models from Naomi to Linda used to ROCK the catwalks big time and there were still very little black models-when it would've made sense? and I 100% agree with your people diversifying for the sake of it-that was my pet hate when I used to do my shoots or other projects and my sis would be like 'why dont you add more black people in your magazine?' and I'd be like 'and for what? for what point? It has to be relevant..' and she'd be like but 'it's not black enough' and I'd be like 'it's an indie arty style specialist magazine were the biggest bands have to be remote and very lowfi' and there wasn't that much with black stuff like that in the UK/....

Anyway; I do see your point but the industry sucks big time.

rantersparadise

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Jezebabe: Marina Peres is Spanish. Spain is a European country, and thus she cannot be counted as a "Latina," seeing as she is not from a Latin American country.

@LaFemme: to echo Dodai, YES.

Why is that our tallies of diversity of models always sparks such a strange debate? If we factored in the handful of models that are confusing the tallies for people then would that suddenly prove that there is diversity on the runways? I don't think so, the main argument here is that fashion is dominated by a western idea of beauty and models are overwhelmingly white (to better illustrate these idealized beauty traits).

It is confusing that some people are so quick to go on the defensive when a lack of diversity is pointed out. I think everyone has felt shuttered out in terms of beauty and image (regardless of race, ethnicity, weight, or hair color) and I don't think there is anything wrong with pointing that out.

@perennial: On a lighter note, that made me LOL IRL OMG

Maria

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> old news

BugMeNot2

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> *Definitely not to stand out as indviduals.

dummyfakeroller

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @rantmagazine:
What I actually meant about my comment with the models being unmemorable was in reference to why they might be hired. I assume that at a fashion show the designer wants you looking at her/his clothes moreso than the model who happens to be wearing them and perhaps looks considered more exotic than the others or that blend in with the other fifteen models are unsuitable for that sort of vision. Perhaps it stems from racial predjuices but why is it that all the models who step out on the runway for these shows have the same makeup and hair? Definitely to to stand out as individuals. All I'm saying is that people shouldn't try to achieve diversity just so they can say they're diverse. It feels too much like antiquated AA laws and reverse discrimination and even for an industry so backwards and shallow there's bound to be a better route.

dummyfakeroller

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @LaFemme:

YES. EXACTLY.

THANK YOU.

Dodai

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Jezebabe: But... but... then how the hell would people know she was wearing Dolce?

HeatherNumber1

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> Damn it. Before the jump, I didn't really see any colored clothing so I assumed we were talking about the collections.

And then I clicked, and of course we mean the MODELS.

Sob. Forgive me while I gorge myself on white cheddar popcorn now.

SBJ

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Latino_Heat: Every time the subject of the lack of racial diversity in fashion comes up, someone always brings up this point about Latina models. Frankly, this really kind of ticks me off because in my opinion, it is so missing the point. The point, if I am correct, is that almost all of the models look the same---and they all look white. Fashion is an inherently visual art-form, and so whether or not some of the obviously caucasian, of European-descent models from Latin America should be included in the "of diversity" category, is kind of irrelevant and missing the message that sending such uniformly white models down the runway sends; white is more attractive, this is what one should look like. Pretending that something like this, this gross mis-categorization, is such a slap in the face to these Latina models is ridiculous- they are working. They are being told they are attractive. They are making money. Can you say the same for their darker counterparts? No, you cant. Now, if these girls want to consider themselves in the same category of Latina, ok that is totally fine. Many factors do point to that being ok. Identity is a very personal issue. But….VISUALLY, in the world of fashion, the IMAGE that is projected to millions all over the world is still "white is right." I would even go so far as to say that only choosing this type of Latina model is basically saying, "sure, you're diverse. Looking different is good…as long as it is within reason." I don't know, if you are happy to look at runways with this kind of racial/ethnic breakdown and can justify it by having a few more Brazilian Cintia Dickers and Gisele Bunchens up there I guess that I just think this argument is lame and not doing anything in the way of progress and acceptance of diversity in the fashion world or in general.

[cintiadicker.org]

LaFemme

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> brazilians are not hispanic. brazilian culture maybe considered iberian, mediterranean or latin. it's portuguese based not spanish based. whole different influences.

ethnically, brazil is more complex than the rest of latin america, as, not only it has the largest population of african descendants outside of africa, it also has a large population asians -largest number of japanese descendants outside japan- and middle easterns- largest amount of lebanese... oh, you know the drill- descendants, and since the portuguese settled down there, miscigenation was common practice.

the european population of brazil is mainly formed by portugueses and italians, with spaniards and germans coming in second.

more on brazilian demographics here
[en.wikipedia.org]

marinav

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @HeatherNumber1: Most labels don't do clothing over a size 12, even lower end labels. 12 or 10 is usually the biggest it gets. And buying two of one outfit ot make a bigger size has to be one of the most ridiculous things i have ever heard in my life. I am very short and have narrow shoulders, and tailoring a jacket to narrow the shoulder and shorten a sleeve is ridiculously expensive, I can't imagine how much it would cost to freaking MERGE two dresses into one. Ridiculous. Why didn't she just shop at stores that sell bigger sizes? Or have some things custom made, since she is buying expensive deisgner pieces and paying a ton of cash to have it tailored?

Jezebabe

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @dummyfakeroller:
Good point. I work freelance as a stylist and had my own trendy style magazine for 4 years in the UK and when I was trying to get models who weren't white-it was impossible as they never went out to look for them. All my friends who did Fashion @ College-who were just next door to me, when they had to choose models at the end to show off their clothes-the black girls walked better. Let's be real-like you're being real. They kicked arse ad they ALL wanted their clothes to go on them. PLUS colours look amazing on darker skin tone as I'm sure you've observed, so were as I would completely agree with your optimistic theory and in MANY cases-that IS the issue for real! The point is fashion is a commodity. It's about money. Making money and when you are shunning a large demographic who buy your clothes and you are ignoring them-it's not very wise. you look back at all those fashion catwalks and envisage at least 3 or 4 more black/latin girls and pick items that would work with their skin tone and if you def think it would look really out of place and ruin the stylised art direction of the designers vision, then fair enough. But after being pretty succesful in photography through to art direction-I smell bullshit with this lot. Whichh is why I left the industry despite the fact it's the only thing I can do with my eyes closed.

rantersparadise

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> I used to work retail at an expensive designer store and anyone over size 10-12 (which, for most lines, is more like 8-10) was out of luck. One woman would actually buy two of everything and have a tailor create one outfit.

HeatherNumber1

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @iplaudius:
It's not true!! ALOT of rich AND poor black people buy designer stuff lol. I'll say this again but why do Americans think they are the centre of the universe? There is a huge majority of black people in the UK (were I live) and France,oh, and Africa....people HAVE money-please, please-all I can do is get all my family and show you family photos and people I know to get you guys to realise that a HUGE percentage of people who buy designer clothes are actually from Ethnic minorities. It's a really big fad amongst the working class in the parisian suburbs-from the Congo, Vogue actually did a big piece about the crazy phenomena a few years back.....

rantersparadise

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @the.bleach: Where do you live? (it's difficult to get the write tone whilst writing, so I'm not being bitchy - just inquisitive) I never had a problem finding designer clothes in sizes 8, 10 or even 12 (for those extra-bloated days or extra-tiny Italian designers) in New York or even when I lived in DC. I think the only time being small becomes an issue is during sample sales.

LollyPops

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> But what' sooooo annoying about this is how much designer clothes a lot of Black people spend! Esp in Paris and London-it's all 'bling, labels etc' ....pathetic huh?

rantersparadise

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Archetype:
lol! Exactly!! ;)

rantersparadise

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> You count models. We steals the diamonds. Lolz on you.

Aph

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @dummyfakeroller: But unlike acting, modeling is about the showing of clothes. It shouldn't matter what race the model is, as long as he or she fits the size the designer makes his or her samples in (which is why you have to be a certain size). That's why many people feel there needs to be more diversity.

PetiteGal

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> I'm actually not suprised that there's such a lack of diversity in shows in Italy. Not defending it, I'm just not surprised.

haguenite

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @ineffable.me: Occasionally, but they're pretty damn hard to find. I'm not saying this to be argumentative, I'm a fashion-loving size 4 recently turned 8, and 8 seems to be the cut off point where high fashion just stops being available.

the.bleach

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @the.bleach: They do make them larger than a size 6.

ineffable.me

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> I would like to clear this up. Latino is not a race, but an ethnic origin. So even if a Brazilian is of German or European descent, she is still considered Hispanic. It makes me angry that Jezebel would only include Latinas who had the stereotypical Latina look in its statistic of models of color. White, black and indigenous Hispanics all have very different experiences from European or African American models and should be included in the same category even if she has lighter skin and eyes.

Latino_Heat

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @the.bleach: I thought we were discussing skin color.

sjct

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @ineffable.me: My argument was that the models don't represent the end consumer, but I agree there is a (albeit limited) range of sizes available, though it's rare to see them larger than a 6.

the.bleach

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> In any other career if someone was hired specifically on the basis of race, there would be an uproar about it. I'm not trying to play devil's advocate but seriously, should designers make sure to put models that exhibit diversity the most in the show for the sake of having diversity? I realize that modeling is a profession based solely on looks but, to me, that doesn't necessarily mean that race should be a deciding factor. I am a woman of Hispanic descent with definite Mexican features from the skin to the hair and I'm not ashamed of it. But if I'm a model and a designer doesn't think my look is what he's looking for, I feel as though I'd take it as part of the profession. Sometimes, it may very well be racial discimrination which I don't condone at all and maybe other times, it's a matter of the model being an unmemorable and unremarkable hanger for the clothes he or she is wearing. And if the runways were about diversity, that would include people of all sizes and statures.

dummyfakeroller

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Dodai: I guess I don't agree with you about designers having that much power. I'm sure selling their product matters more to them than having influence on low-end rip-offs.

sjct

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> I have to admit, as a black person that can afford these clothes/bags, I am always a bit self conscious or confused about the designers exclusion of minority models in their shows. I love fashion and see the designers as artists. But, if the designers did not envision someone like me wearing their products, then should I be buying/wearing them? I don't want to shop at these designer stores when at the back of my mind I feel that I am not really the person the "artist" desired to wear the clothes, shoes, etc. It is all so confusing!

Adie

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> Well, the second model in the runway line picture is Marina Perez, a model from Spain. She does not seem to factor in your breakdown above. It's always tricky when looking at "diversity" in fashion and having to deal with models who might be of Latin American or Spanish nationality, but who are ethnically "White" or have non-latin/Spanish names. Most Brazilian models now are very complex in terms of nationality/race/ethnicity, Bruna Tenorio being an obvious example of this, and don't really fit the more simplistic American ideas of race and ethnicity at all.

My main beef with the runways is that there are actually a lot of models of color out there right now, but they don't seem to be showing up in the runways so much. There is a huge discrepancy in the models of color who do advertisements and fashion mag editorials and the ones who do runway. This is an obviously artificially created situation: There are plenty of diverse models, they are just not being selected to do runway work.

Jezebabe

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> The Unidentified Asial Model at Giorgio Armani was Mo Wandan. She also walked for Emporio.

TatianaTheAnonymousModel

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> Perhaps it's harder to find black and latino women who look like skinny white bitches.

perennial

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @brookidy: haha totally. I think it's hilarious to see some dude in a giant fur cape sitting in a tiny chair and table and calling people. Like I said, I really don't like him, but you know, to Caesar what belongs to the Caesar. (Does that phrase exist in english?)

ineffable.me

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @the.bleach: *sigh* no, you don't have to be emaciated and 15 to wear actual runway designs (unless by actual you mean, the ones actually shown on the runway), when the clothes come out to the stores they come in a range of sizes just like anything else.

ineffable.me

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @ineffable.me: I know it wasn't your intent, but I got a good laugh out of thinking about people picking up the phone and listening to ALT shill for Obama. He has a distinctive speaking voice.

I'm not above reproach - good on him for rockin' the vote. If he has any influence over anyone, stepping up on this issue would go a long way towards making his legacy about more than giant Burberry capes.

brookidy

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @sjct: That's a pretty crazy argument. Especially since you have to be emaciated and 15 to wear actual runway designs, and most people I know who have money to burn on "fashion" are 30sh and a teensy bit heavy from all the going-out-to-dinner times they get to spend their dough on. I do blame the industry, not just the runway, because I think it's honed its statistics in on who sells and how to the point where it's losing its art and its message, but I don't think you could suggest that 15-year-old Ukranian girls are the target purchasing demo for high fashion.

the.bleach

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @brookidy: Yes, that effing bolero made me lose all respect for the Talley.

westvillagegirl (exiled in chicago)

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @BiscuitDoughJones: Yeah...I was going to add that I know a girl who apparently went to a couple of Toronto Fashion Week parties and casually asked designers and others involved about non-standard sizes. Lots of people looked at her as if she had three eyes, two horns and green skin. And this is Toronto Fashion Week, nothing big from an international standpoint.

PetiteGal

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @iplaudius: I'm not sure that argument stands up when considering the GINORMOUS buying power of Japanese and other well-off Asian countries. Look at how many Asians there were. Not much more than black or latina women.

westvillagegirl (exiled in chicago)

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @sjct: This is a poor argument because the designers are not advertising hair products. They're selling an image of what is chic now. The "look" of a runway trickles down to consumers; today's Anna Sui is tomorrow's Forever 21. And when, on a global level, you are dictating what is fashionable, and you purposely exclude a certain skin tone, what message does that send? There have been high fashion models of color in the 70s, 80s and 90s, but for some reason it is not "chic" right now. It's not about buying power. Besides, black women spend millions on clothes and beauty products.

Dodai

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @brookidy: I actually dislike ALT, but since you are on the topic, he was actually volunteering for the Obama campaign, and not in the fancy shit, just straight up logging hours cold-calling people on the phone to get them to vote. And he did it in the same room as all the regular mortals.

That being said, ALT has power over Vogue and maybe some American designers, he is not the king of the fashion industry and can't really do anything if the Italians don't wanna put black people in the runway.

ineffable.me

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Dodai: I know what you meant, and that's why I said that we were arguing different things and I didn't want to get into an ethnicity debate.

ineffable.me

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @hamburgerhotdog: Yes, but take a look at how many women (the Japanese, especially) appropriate "Western" beauty ideals - like dying their hair blond and strapping on platform shoes to look taller.

Archetype

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @AthertonMerriweather: I don't see Andre ever making stand for anything that has true social relevance. He's the first one who would die if he lost his cache. I lost all respect for him after the JHud scary boa incident, anyway.

brookidy

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @hamburgerhotdog: Cf “white-and-wealthy” lifestyle. Also, we’re talking about runways in North America and Europe.

iplaudius

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> Suppose you were selling a hair product specifically formulated for the kind of coarse, kinky hair that many African-Americans have. Would you feature a Nordic blonde, a silky-haired Asian AND a woman of color with a Condi Rice-do on the front of the box? Of course, not. You would feature a model most likely to appeal to your intended customer base.

I'm not saying there aren't women of color with money to burn anymore than I'm saying there aren't some white women who select items from that section of the drug store that features exclusively black faces. If some designers use models of color in 1-5% ratios, that just might represent the percentage of customers that fit their demographic. I don't see the shame in it; it's just the reality of who buys expensive apparel.

sjct

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @iplaudius: Not necessarily, Asia is a huge luxury goods market.

hamburgerhotdog

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @ineffable.me: I mean ethnically she is German. There are many Germans born and living in Brazil -- her last name is Bündchen. From Wikipedia:

Gisele is from Southern Brazil, a region whose population is largely composed of Brazilians of German descent. Bündchen is of distant German ancestry in both sides of her family: her great-great-grandparents immigrated to Brazil from Germany. In regards to her ethnic background, Bündchen was quoted:

"I was born in Horizontina, a town in the backcountry of (Brazilian) state Rio Grande do Sul. The town was once mainly colonized by Germans. In the school which I attended, learning German was actually obligatory from third grade on.

Dodai

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> When are Russell and Kimora going to step in? Or at least Andre over at Vogue.

AthertonMerriweather

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @PetiteGal: Word. The flat-out denial of ethnic models is par for the course in an industry that ignores short people and people who weigh more than a 12-year-old. So I don't buy high fashion. I buy the knock-offs at H&M & F21 and don't cry for profits lost to these elitist "perfection"-pushers.

BiscuitDoughJones

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> Probably the models are mostly white because the primary consumers of expensive designer clothing are mostly white or desirous of the “white-and-wealthy” lifestyle.

I’m not saying it’s right.

I hope I live to see the day when there are so many wealthy and proud people of color that the designers won’t be able to do business without featuring significant numbers of people of color as models.

iplaudius

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @ineffable.me: Oh, I see. So this is an ethnicity v. nationality conversation.....

Archetype

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Dodai: Word!

KnitSandwich

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Archetype: she's brazilian. i guess she has german parents or something.

ineffable.me

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Dodai: Fine. I think we might be arguing about different things and I don't really want to get in this whole enthnicity debate.

ineffable.me

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Dodai: Really? I had no idea that Gisele was German. Shows how much I know.....

Archetype

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @ineffable.me: Gisele is German. There are European Brazilians, African Brazilians and Indigenous Brazilians. Gisele is not "Latin."

Dodai

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> I wish I cared, I really do, but the truth of the matter is that this will affect my consumer choices not at all. I refuse to view fashion through a prism of political corectness: if a dress is beautiful and well-made I do not particularly care about the race of the model wearing it.

I do think this white-out trend is unfortunate, if only because many of my favorite models have been black or otherwise non-white and I miss the 80's when there were ethnic supermodels like the stunning Yasmeen Ghauri. That said, I will buy Jil Sander because I happen to like their clothes.

LollyPops

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Dodai: i meant, i dont understand why you dont just put it in the latin category. gisele has whiter skin, but shes not blonde and blue-eyed like the rest of the easter european girls.

ineffable.me

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @brookidy: I hope that someone will pay attention too, but we all know that the fashion media ignore anyone who isn't "them." If you want to do, let's say, plus or petite sizes, the best you get is a "that's very nice, dear" type of comment.

PetiteGal

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Dalinae: Well, success doesn't necessarily result in running out to stock up on pieces from the newest collections.

Archetype

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> It's hard for black models to get that "heroin/cocaine chic" look. Apprently, models don't look sickly enough if you can't see under-eye circles and yellow skin from starvation. It's just not fashionable, I guess, to look alive.

Heydiddler

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> I appreciate Jezebel's consistent effort to promote diversity on the runway and in magazines. I hope that one day someone will pay attention, but I'm not holding my breath. When you think about it, there's very little recourse. I mean, what are you going to do, refuse to buy ANY of Gucci's fall collection? God forbid. The .001% (or less) of the population that can consistently afford this stuff may also be the the population that is the LEAST concerned with righting any wrongs here.

brookidy

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Archetype: I think the job advice thread did show there are a number of rather successful readers of Jezebel. Although, I doubt most would be the type to buy this fug, overpriced crap in bulk. The actual type to buy bulk designer doesn't generally give enough crap to amend their shopping habits.

Dalinae

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Sukie in the Graveyard: I bet they will be better, if only because they use local models for the most part and those populations are fairly diverse. Maybe that's just wishful thinking, though.

Archetype

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @ineffable.me: Dude, I think we do, because Gisele is Brazilian too, but not of indegenous descent. It's definitely different.

Dodai

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> I can only hope that the smaller shows (LA fashion week, Miami fashion week) aren't as disappointing.

it's the smallest voice that makes the most change...

Sukie in the Graveyard

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> Dude, Bruna is brazilian, no matter if she looks it or whatever, you don't need to make such a disclaimer.

ineffable.me

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> @Archetype: Right? I've had it, I'm taking my business right to H&M!

hamburgerhotdog

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> They can't even argue that they were trying to make all the models look the same a la Prada. Those models are different heights, have a variety of hair colours and lengths... just stay the same weight and keep pale, ladies!

HeatherNumber1

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> NOT THOSE BOOTS AGAIN!

hamburgerhotdog

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> Also, I haven't liked Gucci for quite some time, but that collection is hot. There was no shoe diversity, either.

Archetype

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> Keep that in mind the next time you consider buying a Fendi purse or anything by Jil Sander.

Yes, because if we've established anything, it's that Jezebel readers can afford designer.

Archetype

]]> <![CDATA[On The Runways Of Milan, Color Just Wasn't Considered Chic]]> I don't know what you people mean, there's a redhead right there in the middle of that line of models. If that's not diversity, then what is?

Eeva

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