So Much For Diversity

Alexander Wang F/W

Rodarte F/W 2014 - MM6 F/W 2014

I'm going to write this in one language only, as I can't be bothered to translate the entire text. I apologise beforehand for coming off ranty, but watching NYFW go by has made me realise one thing:

There really does seem to exist only one skin tone.

Now, one would think that in 2k14 we would be better at this, especially at NYFW, given that we keep celebrating NYC for being so diverse. But even though there definitely are POC featured on the runway, there still seem to be a definite majority of white models featured. 

I am tired of the excuses that people keep spouting around me. "Oh, fashion is colour blind, they're just going after the prettiest/the one with the best walk" To hell, fashion is colour blind. No one is (and, might I add, no one should be).

If fashion is so colour blind, as people keep saying, then why is it that 82,7% of all the runway spots for NYFW last year went to white girls? (source)

In the same article that I just attributed, Naomi Campbell mentioned that "When I started modeling in '86 there was Asians, blacks, whites, Indians, Chinese. It was very diverse". 

This might just be a product of the stereotype "white girls are rich - black people poor", but it's certainly not helping. It is sick that we live in a world where we actually have to applaud designers for having POC, as if they're doing some extraordinarily good deed, and were there are specific blogs (x, x, x). On one hand it is wonderful that these things exist on the internet, but why does it have to be necessary?

Why can't we just have Calvin Klein show where we see beautiful people from all over the world that don't all have the same eurocentric looks? Why can't we simply have some black models that aren't picture perfect. If Lindsey Wixson was black, do you really believe she would be celebrated for her quirky looks? Of course not. Flaws are in, but only if you're white. If you're black, indian, chinese or any of there like, your skin colour counts as a flaw, and one that must be ignored and compensated for with a small nose, ethereal bone structure and the like.