Why Are Designers Racists?

I grew up in the Jim Crow South witnessing every flavor of discrimination under the sun either in person or through other so it did not surprise me to read the story EXPOSED: The fashion industry gripped by racism. The article talks about Jamaica-based supermodel Gaye McDonald and her views on the racism that exists in the world of fashion modeling.

Reading that designers are saying things like ‘no ethnics’, ‘please do not send me any black models as they do not suit my clothes’, and ‘too Afro’ just makes me shake my head and wonder why fashion designers are racists when the clothes don’t care what color skin the model is.

Expanding this concept of discrimination in the fashion world to plus size models makes it seem almost impossible for a black plus size model to make it beyond local competitions. Mo’Nique’s F.A.T. Chance gave women of all colors an opportunity to taste the modeling world. The stats have been echoed across thousands of blogs and websites that the average size of a woman today is a 14, yet in the fashion world if your over a size 10 and black under the current system you are not welcome.

In my opinion part of the reason that there are not more black models featured on runways and on the cover of magazines is that black men and women have features like regular everyday people. By nature we are not frail and emaciated looking which is the direct opposite of what we have seen on runways for years.

Designers that carry preconceived notions about black models are truly missing out on some of the most beautiful men and women in the world. Thank goodness for companies like Devoe Signature Events run by former plus size model Gwen Devoe who not only features plus size models in her workshops but black models as well.

When it comes to your thoughts on racism in the fashion world what are your thoughts and what do you think that should be done to solve this ongoing problem?