The Little Girl in the Classroom Will Break Your Heart!

Sad, upsetting, surprising, enlightening, infuriating – just some of the words we use to describe ‘Dark Girls’ – a documentary “exploring the deep-seated biases and attitudes about skin colour — particularly dark skinned women, outside of and within the Black American culture.”

We dare you to watch it and not be moved!

We remember seeing a documentary about a black Canadian model trying to make it at NY Fashion Week being told that she had the potential to be a success as she didn’t have traditional ‘black’ features, that really casting agents were looking for white girls dipped in chocolate. She was shocked and so were we.

It’s a thorny issue that deserves an article all of its own, but before we do that, we’d love to get your thoughts and experiences on the matter.

Vogue Italia: Jump & Smile

Good old Italian Vogue has done a very colourful and happy editorial with models Ubah Hassan, Jasmine Tookas, Kelly Moreira, Lyndsey Scott, Lilly Taylor and others. See the behind the scenes video here.




We want the clothes! (and the legs)

See the whole shoot here.

Vogue Italia: Tribute to Black Beauties

Italian Vogue has done it again – another all black editorial in the magazine and on their website. Featuring Jeneil Williams, Ubah Hassan and Cici Ali, among others, the ladies model clothes from Missoni and Prada.

And unlike the all black issue from 2008, the text is in English so we know what they are talking about this time!

See the full spread here.

NY Magazine - Why Fashion Keeps Tripping Over Race

A very interesting article in New York Magazine’s Spring Fashion Issue. Written by black fashion critic and style writer Robin Givhan, the article discusses race on the runway, in the casting room and the magazine cover (or lack thereof).

Robin looks at the reception Michelle Obama has received by the fashion world, what it’s like being the only black editor or publicist in the room and the (in)famous closing at the Spring 2011 Lanvin show.

She interviews the wonderful Andre Leon Talley who says: ‘We’re supposed to be living in a post racial, non racial world. We’re just not there.’

Get the full article here. It is essential reading!