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All-Black Italian Vogue Issue Arrives in the U.S.
7-Jul-2008
Written by: Angela Flournoy
Italian Vogue makes a statement against discrimination in its July issue.
Models Noami Campbell, Jourdan Dunn, Liya Kebede and Sessilee Lopez grace the cover of this month’s Italian Vogue in a special all-black issue that aims to address the racial makeup of the fashion industry.
The issue, which recently hit U.S. newsstands, features 100-plus pages of images of black women taken by acclaimed New York photographer Steven Meisel. In addition to the four cover girls, familiar faces such as Tyra Banks, Iman and Alek Wek are featured with the magazine.
The issue was in part a response to mounting concern that the fashion industry promoted a singular, European-centered notion of beauty, both on the catwalks and in print campaigns.
“I thought, it's ridiculous, this discrimination,” Meisel told the New York Times. “It's so crazy to live in such a narrow, narrow place. Age, weight, sexuality, race - every kind of prejudice.”
Italian Vogue editor Franca Sozzani said that another source of inspiration for the July issue came from watching Barack Obama during the presidential race.
While she supported the use of all black models, Sozzani initially had reservations when Meisel chose to cast America’s Next Top Model alum Toccara Jones, a full figured model, the New York Times reports.
Jones ultimately appears in the July issue as well, which Meisel says is sending another message to the fashion world.
“I wanted to say something about weight, and I’m never allowed to do that,” Meisel told the Times.
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