Vogue Italia recently wrote a blog defending their decision to launch black stylista focused site, Vogue Black. They said, “Finally, two years on from the publication of A Black Issue, surrounded by Eastern European models, we ask ourselves: how long will it take before we see more black beauties on the runway? As summarized by Afrobella in her blog, they deserve their own spotlight.”
I have no problem with Vogue Black’s site, but comments on our Facebook page reveal Fashion Bombers do! Reader Mary said, “That’s cool and all but why does it have to be Vogue Black..why can’t Vogue just acknowledge black and keep it pushing!! Accept us for what we are don’t categorize!” Barbara added, ” Why does Vogue need a Black section and a separate Editor-at-Large simply for the Black section? Why aren’t the Black models good enough to be integrated in the main magazine and on the main cover..?”
I can see how many of you view this as an empty victory. Industries are strongest when integrated, and this separation underscores our systematic exclusion and lets mainstream magazines off the diversity hook. Still, I applaud Vogue for acknowledging the legions of stylish black women and men who love fashion but can’t find themselves in most magazines. We can kind of think of Vogue Black as a renewed Suede, this time around with amazing resources and established relationships with industry greats like Steven Meisel and Naomi Campbell.
What do you think?
Picture: Long chiffon dress, Rodarte. Boots, Louboutin. Naomi Campbell by Steven Meisel, Vogue Italia, July 2008, “A Black Issue”
Check out Fashion Bomber comments on our Facebook Page. Reminisce on Suede with this vintage F Bomb post.
February 27, 2010 8:43 pm
I’m on the fence as well… its great that they see black/African decent people as a market enough to substain a publication under Vogue/ Conde Naste, yet its like they are saying ” look we know this industry and we see the minds, feelings, and attitudes of the fashion world and equal incorporation of people past a certain complexion AIN’T happening anytime soon, so lets just try this”.
February 27, 2010 9:24 pm
Acknowledge us not categorize us, nether the less we’re moving in a positive direction. “The only thing that should be separated by color is laundry.” Guess people still haven’t figured that out. The model looks super fierce and I love the picture.
February 27, 2010 9:31 pm
Categories like this bug me because where are the multi-racial girls supposed to spend their advertising clicks? We all know fashion magazines are about the advertising dollars, so why do they think that blacks and not-as-blacks have different interests or needs?
It’s a push in the right direction, but the folks in charge can come stay near me in the deep South and see why this is a problem firsthand. Our lines in real life aren’t as much racial as they are socio-economic but unfortunately color is the only obvious line they can see. Vogue $5 Dinner just wouldn’t sell product.
February 27, 2010 10:45 pm
ooooh my dear Suede I miss you!!! I think it is a start of going in the right direction…next step integration…
February 27, 2010 10:46 pm
I think people are attaching too much importance to the name “Vogue.” Some may argue Vogue is an aging, increasingly irrelevant institution…and that this Vogue Black, Curvy crap is just an attempt to generate buzz and try to remain relevant. I’m not sure who is creating the creative discourse at the moment, but we no longer look to Vogue to take our fashion cues. Honestly, when was the last time you read Vogue? Digital is stomping their asses, so they’re featuring bloggers, making black sites, pulling out all the stops because they are desperately trying to stay above water and ahead of the curve. This is all a gimmick and Vogue is a sinking ship.
February 28, 2010 1:41 am
We are all the same under our skin, we should all be proud of who we are and accept others for being who they are.
February 28, 2010 2:01 am
I feel what people are saying about integration, but if you think about other industries, this is usually the beginning of change. Think about television. We went from small roles to our own sitcoms, from the Jeffersons to the Cosby show to Fresh Prince. Since then, where are we? Think about the top shows, how diverse are they? Honestly, I’ll take this “spotlight” over no acknowledgment at all. Hopefully it will keep things moving forward. I wish people weren’t so cynical about it though.
February 28, 2010 2:02 am
Suede…come back Suede come back!! OMG, the friggin best ever of multiculty
February 28, 2010 5:11 am
Not sure how I feel about this separate but equal ish. This approach is a bit dated and it’s a bit shocking that the solution for a multi-cultural society is still to create separate outlets instead of fusing and integrating them. when will it ever end. What about the “mixed race” population that is just getting bigger where do they fit in to the equation. We need drop all the boxes we put people in and just be human and celebrate diversity.
February 28, 2010 6:54 am
This might also be a generational thing. Think about us (I’m in my late twenties) and the kids younger than us who grew up dating people outside their race, coming out at a young age, embracing their curves. Vogue is headed by people in their 60′s…they basically grew up with the civil rights movement at a time when their reality literally did not include anyone different. I think there’s hope for the future and this is a step in the right direction. The real question is, will Vogue exist by the time the young ones decide to become magazine editors?
February 28, 2010 7:13 am
Also, thanks to hip hop (and other advances) we’ll have young black socialites who can afford to buy fashion and will actually be consumers of this magazine. Vogue is a magazine for rich people, period. Rich people can afford to shop. Shopping is a luxury and shopping for expensive items is something only a select few can do. I think that’s the main reason Vogue doesn’t integrate because we are, economically speaking, not their target customer. Fast forward 10 years and tell me Ming and Aoki Simmons, Justin Combs, etc wont’ be sitting at those Couture shows in Paris. Our world is changing, this is just the beginning.
February 28, 2010 3:40 pm
Famine, you make a lot of great points. Vogue is an institution and even if it be for the sake of tradition, it will still be around for a long time.
Using one of the examples you made about the editors being in their sixties, this may be true, but bear in mind there are many a 50-something, 40-something, 30something and 20-something year old women who aspire to work for these publications and those who live (or is it die) for it, so they will usher Vogue into another decade (at least) perhaps adjusting to what’s…well in vogue.
I have always thought it was an elitist “high” society publication. What surprises me is the multitude of people who seek validation from this institution. Personally I’m indifferent to this latest news because what has Vogue done for me lately? Nada!
Cash is king in their world and if anyone is dissatisfied with what they offer, support publications that do cater to your needs (even if not completely). I feel you’ll gain more change with a publication that prizes you as their audience versus a publication that sees you as an afterthought, or worse irrelevant.
I’m sure I raised similar sentiments 2 years ago during the Vogue Italia hype where they couldn’t even translate the articles into English! And yes, I know it’s an Italian publication but clearly they knew it would attract more non-Italian speaking people to this particular issue, right?
I feel sorry for publications for people of colour that have a short lifespan because they don’t get the support they need to stay afloat financially. If this much was written about Suede Time Inc. would have no choice but to at least consider bringing it back, because the bottom line is what counts fashion bombers.
March 1, 2010 8:29 pm
@Safera I’m glad you mentioned the lil point about Suede Magazine because on a regular basis black women keep claiming that they are the largest base of readers when it comes to non black magazine which is false. If black women were such a large readership base then magazines such as Suede, Honey, Vibe Vixen wouldn’t have folded.
New magazines like Arise Magazine and BHF Magazine which are magazines from Africa are doing very well because their readership base is very large, plus Arise sponsored the Arise fashion show which shows the power they have in the magazine world right now.
With that in mind maybe black women specifically in American should focus on building a new magazine here instead of trying to rent a few pages from Vogue etc.
The concept of Vogue Black is good but at the end of the day Vogue Italia/Conde Nest owns it which means all the money generated goes to them and they can also pull the plug at any moment.
March 2, 2010 3:02 am
Yea Black Vogue! Yea Black period! I can appreciate the acknowledgement, I think this is a good start, I shall watch and wait and see what comes of it.
March 3, 2010 7:06 pm
I like it…No, I LOVE IT!