Gabby Sidibe’s Elle Cover Is Another Reason Why Black Fashion Directors Are Necessary

This is my opinion and I own it. When I read the report that Gabby Sidibe was covering the 25th anniversary of Elle magazine’s October issue, I nearly jumped out of my office chair with utter excitement.

To discover the Oscar-nominated uber talented actress would anchor an issue about Hollywood’s favorite 25 year-olds in celebration of Elle‘s quarter-life, well, this kind of made my still-fashionably tainted day.

But then I saw the cover. Sweet Jesus, be a fence! Who, what, when, and just why?

Gabby Sidibe’s hair has been flipped up and laid, particularly on her appearance on the “Oprah show.” We have also seen Gabby on a plethora of red carpets, giving it to em’; hands on hip, and that weave was just right. Now what happened at Elle? Gabby Sidibe is too poppin’ and Tinsletown buzzing to go out like that. The weave looks like an old used up brillo pad that has seen too many greasy pots and too many anti-humidity products.

I blame Gabby’s own team, her glam squad (she does have one right?), her BFF (you know every starlet has a sidekick on the set), and the entire Elle staff. I even blame the newly minted Black staffers, and the lone intern girl of color who likely giggled off on the side of the set, instead of quietly holding up a sign from the back of the room reading, “Gabby, girl, they got you looking wrong!”

Here we have yet another reason among a trillion why Black fashion, beauty, and creative directors are necessary. Clearly Elle dropped the cue or is on some demented hiring freeze.

The fashion industry is seemingly damned if they do, or damned if they don’t. We don’t want to come off ungrateful; we’d be the very ones complaining or dishing critical commentary on why no Black actresses are making glossy covers. We just ask one simple thing: always have an expert, weave/wig/Black hair specializing stylist on the set. Black women’s hair is sort of a serious matter.