IS THERE DISCRIMINATION IN FASHION?

did wwd really have to ask that question? and did writer rosemary feitelberg really have to lead with that question? and i have a question....how many "black" people work at wwd and w combined? listen! just asking! my dear friend randal jacobs forwarded wwd's article which fauxvestigated the presence - or lack - of blacks in the fashion industry. the article was largely based on a panel discussion led by Andre Leon Talley, Namoi Campbell and Liya Kebedi. And ofcourse, the panel's consensus was yes! I am so glad that the panel discussed this and gladder still that there were such heavy weights helming the discussion - but all this once again highlights the obvious: ofcourse there are no blacks in the fashion industry. From publishing to design to modeling, there are a precious, precious, precious few. And cynic that I am, I don't see that changing anytime soon...Read the article and tell me what you think.

a black model on the catwalk during nyc fashion week. according to wwd, out of 101 shows during fashion week 31 "appeared" to have no models of color. those that did used 1 or 2. (source: wwd)

a scene i've seen a thousand times: the final line up showcasing all white models. the only diversity here is hair cut and color. these models are from the donna karan show. (source: wwd)

naomi at last friday's panel discussion. (source: wwd)