Over the last few months I am shocked to see the lack of African Male models on the catwalk. In fact I am also shocked to hear photographers making an excuse that it’s really hard to shoot them because of the colour of their skin. I am no photographer but these cameras today are very intelligent. I have seen photographers struggle on shoots due to lighting but for me I am not taking that as an excuse to avoid African Male Models. The simple reason is they are purely striking and powerful looking men.
Diversity Is The New Black
Naomi Campbell demands more diversity. If there is one women who has the power to high light the issue then it’s Naomi herself.
There has been no official comment from any of the designers they named, although the Council of Fashion Designers of America did issue a statement, declaring that “the most powerful message is one of diversity”. But the statistics are clear: at last week’s New York Fashion Week, just 6 per cent of models walking the shows were black, and 9 per cent Asian; 13 shows featured no models of colour at all.
Beverley Johnson
Beverley Johnson, who was the first African American woman to grace the cover of Vogue back in the 1970s, is furious, telling the Daily Beast there was “a trend of exclusion that is glaringly insulting and simply unacceptable to me”.
Le Brawn James
Le Brawn James First Black Male EVER To Grace The Cover Of Vogue. This is a great read but for 2014 but we have a long way to go. The popular Fashion magazine Vogue made history this month, placing an African American male on it’s cover for the first time of its illustrious 116 years of publication.
Gracie Opulanza For African Male Models
I grew up always being a minority, I understand racism, I was always rejected among my peers. I know too well even just last week that I am an outsider. But let me make it very clear, it’s my up bringing and these experiences that has made me as compassionate for those who too get excluded. It’s all these years that God himself has trained me to be fearless and hence why MenStyleFashion will show you how that African Male Models are to be embraced on every level. Wait to you see what we have coming up?
I never thought I would have such a powerful platform created just over a year ago to be able to show the world that actions speak louder than words. So this week at London Fashion Week Gracie was scouting for African men. I was so excited to spot them. But I did not wait around for them to turn up.
I have fabulous interviews with powerful African Male models who share their stories of how hard it has been to establish them selves in the fashion industry. Listen to what Tinie Tempah has to say about this very question.
