The Colour of Beauty is a short film that was recently shown on the Documentary Channel. It examines racism in the fashion industry, specifically what is attractive to designers, casting directors & consumers.
Renee Thompson is trying to make it as a top fashion model in New York. She's got the looks, the walk and the drive. But she's a black model in a world where white women represent the standard of beauty. Agencies rarely hire black models. And when they do, they want them to look "like white girls dipped in chocolate."
The Colour of Beauty is a shocking short documentary that examines racism in the fashion industry. Is a black model less attractive to designers, casting directors and consumers? What is the colour of beauty?
Model Renee Thomposn says that sometimes it's so blatently racist it's disgusting. No black girls are allowed at a lot of the castings. Clients will actually say that they are looking for white girls only.
According to a 2008 survey about models in New York fashion week 6% are black, 6% are asian, 1% are latina and 87% are white.
According Renee's agent, Justin Peery, the black models that are getting a lot of work are the ones with "very unique features for African American women...the very skinny nose, very elegant faces. They really look like white girls that are painted black. That's beauty to the industry's perspective, to agent's perspective. When they see that, when they see a girl that can look different by skin pigment and still have great features like that it is sellable. When you come in with big eyes, big nose, big this, big lips, things that are common traits in African Americans it doesn't work. But those lucky few girls...that have white girl features and it's kind of messed up but that's just the way the industry is."
A fashion week casting director says that Renee, who is way too skinny already in my opinion won't work for fashion week because she is too wide in the hips. Really, this girl can't be more than a size 2, and he's saying she's too curvy, too womanly and that black models tend to be too round and they prefer models that are skinnier, more straight. Essentially with the shape of a 12 year old girl, it seems.
Frequently when models of color do get work, they are often the token ethnic girl. When 15 white models are hired, a client might hire 1 or 2 ethnic models. Some will come right out and say "no black models."
Ethnic models have to be literally flawless to get the job, even though she's working next to white girls who aren't. The expectations are much higher for black models.
Renee says that as a black model, she feels like she's constantly having to justify her worth to the industry and at every casting is reminded she's the black girl.
Desingers will claim that black women aren't their target audience, aren't the ones buying their products. Fashion photographer Dallas J. Logan, who is also African American says, "Nobody wants to invest money in a black model to do Gucci, Prada, Valentino. Because the're black and black doesn't sell. Point blank. Money's green and white people have the money and white people are going to buy from white people."
In no other industry would this sort of blatant racism be allowed in hiring decisions. But it is allowed in the fashion industry. What will it take to end racism in the fashion industry? I wish I had the answer. The fashion industry's whole definition of beauty is warped. It's not just that they don't value women of color. They also don't value women of a healthy weight and size. They are only interested in white women of unhealthy weights with unattainable bodies. It's going to take a lot of work, and a concerned effort by fashion designers and magazine editors to make the change, and to make a change that is meaningful, not just nods to the issue without making any real change, which is what usually happens.
The Colour of Beauty is only about 16 minutes long. You don't have to have the Documentary Channel to see it. You can watch it on the National Film Board Canada's website. I highly recommend it.
Photo Credit: National Film Board of Canada's Colour of Beauty, directed by Elizabeth St. Philip.
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