Just when I thought they were getting it right, then this happened. One step forward, 5 steps backwards.

The royals are bitching about Kate’s topless pictures. And I thought colonial slave days were long over. Can I get a court judgement against this display of depressing colonial history?

What a shame!

 

Source: Jezebel.com

New York fashion week wrapped up its Spring-Summer 2013 season with a whopping 143 shows and live presentations — more shows and presentations than we’ve ever had to cover during the eight seasons we’ve been compiling these runway diversity reports. (Back in February of 2009, there were only 116 shows.) As NYFW has grown, so has awareness of the problems that models of color can face in the industry: the ways that some magazines talk about race as though it were a trend, like British Vogue, and the manifest (if only occasionally acknowledged) preference of most clients for white models. Way too often in fashion, still, looking “aspirational” is still considered synonymous with “having white skin.”
It is heartening, then, that this season proved to be the most racially diverse that we have ever counted. For the second time ever (and the second season in a row), white models actually comprised just less than 80% of the total model pool. Contrast that with the 87% of all runway spots that were given to white models in Fall-Winter 2008, when we began keeping track of models and race at NYFW.

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This season, 143 designers presented some 4708 individual women’s wear “looks” to buyers and press during the eight days of fashion week. 3736 of those looks, or 79.4%, were given to white models. Again this season, the second largest ethnic group on the runway at fashion week was Asians — Asian models got 476, or 10.1% of all the runway looks. Black models nabbed 383, or 8.1%. Non-white Latina models were used 88 times, or 1.9%. And models of other races wore 25, or 0.5% of all looks. Click on any chart in this post to enlarge.

These results may be partly attributed to the season, because one trend that is apparent from our data is the preference for slightly more models of color at the spring-summer collections and slightly fewer at the fall-winter collections, which may be due to a belief on the part of casting directors that darker skin tones suit the bright colors of spring clothes better than they do fall’s more somber hues. (Or at least that’s what some casting directors tell us off-the-record — generally while rolling their eyes.) But more jobs for models of color is good news no matter what the reason.

Despite the overall positive trend, there were still a number of shows that were not very diverse. Eight brands — Araks, Brood, Calvin Klein, Elizabeth & James, Louise Goldin, MM6 Maison Martin Margiela, See by Chloé, and The Row — had zero models of color. Their casts were entirely white. That’s around 6% of all shows. (In 2007, according to published reports, one-third of the shows at NYFW had all-white casts.) Additionally, there were 31 shows and presentations that had three or fewer models of color. That’s more than 20% of all shows.

Calvin Klein, after seasons in which it showed its collection on an all-white cast but for one model of color, decided to just go with an all-white cast. The Olsen twins continued their habit of hiring all-white casts for their two brands, The Row and Elizabeth & James.

Some of the most diverse shows were Tracy Reese, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Jason Wu, Jen Kao, Anna Sui, Barbara Tfank, Boy by Band of Outsiders, Edun, Chado Ralph Rucci, and Betsey Johnson. At the industry’s high end, Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta also showed their collections on very racially diverse casts. Emerging brands like Calla and Dean Quinn also included a lot of models of color.

The conversation about racial diversity in fashion is a large and complex one, of which data like these are only one part. As I wrote last season, “It’s difficult to quantify a problem like high fashion’s demonstrated preference for white skin. Race is a social construct, not a fact. And our “categories” — black, Asian, non-white Latina, and what we for lack of a better term call “other” — are not (and probably cannot be) perfect. We don’t count white women from Latin America in our gerrymandered “Latina” category; though they are as Latina as their darker-complected countrywomen, on the international modeling circuit, the color of their skin is more important than the passports they bear or the cultural heritage they represent, and they have the privilege of competing with other white models for the much larger pool of jobs that are open to white models. So this count comes with some obvious caveats.”

And racial diversity is only one way in which the fashion industry — and, by extension, our cultural ideas about what and who gets to be beautiful — could stand to diversify. There’s also age, sexual orientation, and, most obviously, size. Despite necessarily imperfect methods, we do this census every season because it can be helpful to put anecdote and reportage in the context of actual numbers. Again, as I wrote last season: “People are always arguing that things are getting better, that fashion is on some long, meliorative journey towards post-racial harmony, or whatever. Some people argue that fashion is already there! (To which I have only these words: slave earrings.) In an industry where the criticism and the reporting alike are informed by a certain amount of anecdote and conjecture, it’s good to have some hard numbers.”

For those who are curious, our full report is embedded below.

Prabal Gurung, another critically acclaimed young designer who showed his collection on a very diverse cast this season, talked a little about the rationale behind his casting to the Wall Street Journal. “It wasn’t deliberate, like ‘let’s look for Asian models,'” said the designer, who was himself born in Singapore and raised in Nepal. “But for me being a minority myself, I have always believed personally and professionally that there’s beauty in every race. I have a 6-year-old niece, and in a few years she will be aware of all this stuff and I want to make sure there are enough role models for her. Beauty is beauty.”

Fashion still has a long way to go before all forms of beauty are truly given equal consideration — but this season is another small step in the right direction.

Lede photo: model Sessilee Lopez walks in the runway finale at the Nanette Lepore show at Lincoln Center on September 12, 2012. Behind Lopez is model Lee Hye Jung.

Special thanks to Jezebel for posting this report.

September 6, 2012: The 4th annual Fashion’s Night Out 2012 would mark my first FULL involvement with the movement. Last year, I defaulted to Brazil where the event was rather dull, no offense.

I had loads of fun and had a chance to make new friends and network. It was hard to check out every store involved. Just about everyone participated, some more exclusive than the others. Of course, I made it my business to check out the more exclusive ones and really regret not making many others on my list which included Prada, Bergdorf and Kiki de Montparnesse. What can I say, there is only one of me with just a pair of legs. So on that note, I hit a few of my favorites which were Dior, Chanel, Giuseppe Zanotti, Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabbana, and a few others.  The highlight of the evening for me was meeting and hanging out with the 90 year-old American style icon, Iris Barrel Apfel. Iconic photographer Arthur Elgort help court with a makeshift photo studio at Dior. As a photographer myself, he also was a pleasure to meet and see in action.

Well, I think I will let the images below do the rest of the “talking”, they pretty much speak for themselves. I do hope 2013 will just as successful. I can’t wait!

You can see more coverage on Shoeholics Club website. Don’t miss it.

 

I have never felt so out of place as a slim figured woman in such a long time. The 45th annual Caribbean (aka West Indian) Labor Day Parade on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, NY left me gasping for air from excitement, and wanting more of the fast paced Caribbean tunes blasting from the speakers. Poeple of all ages and sizes (especially full figured women) celebrated the day wearing nothing more than g-strings, feathers and sequins. The more full figured and more revealing, the more popular they were with the crowd, particularly the women. It was like being in Brazil for the carnival without incurring the cost of hotels and air flights.

Politicians such as Senator Chuck Schumer, NY Council woman Christine Quinn, Governor Cuomo were on hand to help open the “floor” alongside the legendary Trinidadian crooner & Actor Harry Belafonte who is still going strong at 85 serving as the official Grand Marshall! Once they were through, the real fun began with the main party floats advancing towards the judging panel from the West Indian American Day Carnival Association.

The participants dazzled in multicolored head dresses and feathers, some moving wheel operated giant feather costumes. The festivities was not limited to individuals and politicians. Church pastors didn’t shy away from the heavily sexual infused dance scene. One of them preached to the spectators with emphasis on diseases. He raised eyebrows when he ventured into HIV and STDs! Oh dear!

Some of the revelers engaged in all sorts of provocative dance moves that almost left me wondering if I was in a nightclub. The only thing missing was a fully stocked liquor bar on wheels to complete the club scene. But then again, these are free spirited people without a care in the world for restrictions and rules. Total strangers came together dancing, partying hard, eating traditional Caribbean cuisines and enjoying every minute of it –myself included. The highlight of the day  for me was talking to the legendary Harry Belafonte about the event and ins general well being. I couldn’t help grinning from ear to ear when we posed for pictures. Who wouldn’t? LOL!

So without further ado, please preview the pictures and video footage. You DEFINITELY DO NOT want to miss viewing the video footage. Just make sure your kids are nicely tucked in bed before you press play. 🙂

As usual darling, all rights reserved

Preview the picture gallery below.

If you are already familiar with Old Spice’s usually outrageously funny ad campaigns, then you’re in for a special ride in the featured video below. Just when I thought I had seen the featured actor’s acting range when it comes to comedy, out comes this creative video. Let me shut up now, watch and see for yourself. He is too much! LOL!

Old Spice Muscle Music from Terry Crews on Vimeo.

Designer Jill Sander wants you to pay $290 for brown paper bags now being promoted as a clutch for men/women. Ok, fashion comes at a cost, especially if it’s artistic and creative. I probably won’t mind spending insane amount of money on some of the most hideous shoe designs out there, but brown paper bags as a clutch for $290? Are designers running out of ideas?

Word is the Jill Sander stores can’t keep them in stock and people are lining up to buy them! Lunch brown bagging just got more expensive! Doggie bag anyone?

Hmm…let me ponder on this one a little longer.

My publication, Shoeholics Magazine is now available at the International Magazine Store (IMS) chains in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, including their airports. Switzerland will start in October with our holiday and 4th issue. More international locations are coming soon. We could not have done any of these without the continued loyal support of our members worldwide.

Please be sure to pick up a copy! Show some love! 🙂

Got a product/company you want advertised? Contact sales@shoeholicsmag.com for a media kit.

Feeling me some red today…of course with a small dose of the wild side using leopard top by Zara and red bottoms by Plein Sud, bag by Delvaux, shoes of course in red and leopard patterns.

It is the month of the Leo. So why not? 🙂

Want more? Click here to see other styling options.

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Ernestine Shepherd at 75 currently holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest bodybuilder in the world! She started working out at 71. This officially puts a lot of young women to shame, including myself. Ernestine Shepherd’s washboard, 6 pack stomach makes mine look obese. The video footage below holds the evidence. I dare not stand next to this woman in a bathing suit. I want to be like her when I grow up. It’s high time I took up a gym membership somewhere. I want her stomach! Not kidding!

It’s not everyday one gets to model in lingerie, so here is me in my favorite red ensemble for a project.

Further below are some of my modeling work a few years ago. If only I could look like this everyday!

These days, I prefer to be behind the lens shooting other people. 🙂