Hey!

Today’s Bombshell is aspiring model Lucinda from California:


She says, “ I want to model. The high fashion agencies believe that I am perfect for the commercial agencies, but when I go to the commercial agencies they all say we already have enough black girls.”

“… I always visit the agency’s site before I attend the open call.  They only represent a couple of black women who have long hair and have a lighter complexion than I do. The reason I want to model is because I want to see diversity and my complexion represented everywhere –I feel young girls with darker complexions are suffering from self esteem issues and wanting to be lighter. They also may think having shorter or natural hair is a bad thing.”

” I love being African-American and my darker complexion. I was wondering if you knew of anyone that could help, or if I could be featured on your blog. I have attached some photos of myself. Thanks.”


Hi Lucinda! Thanks for writing in. As Renée Thompson demonstrated in the short documentary, The Color of Beauty (which we wrote about here), it’s unquestionably more difficult for models of color to find jobs in the industry. The best thing to do is what you are doing now: speaking out about it, staying positive about your self image, and pushing and persisting until a door opens. The issue needs constant exposure until something changes. I think you have a great style that would look smashing on the pages of any mainstream magazine.
Good luck!
What do you guys think?

Fashion Bombshell of the Day is a feature showcasing the singular style and flair of Fashion Bomb Readers. Send your name, location, a description of your style, and your Fashion Bombshell of the Day Picture(s) to th************@gm***.com.

PS  Not familiar with the Color of Beauty? Click here to watch.

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47 thoughts on “Fashion Bombshell of the Day : Lucinda from California”

  1. I love the all over gray make-up. I’ve worn that eye shadow style at the clubs. Glad to see I’m not the only one. Your style is 100%. And sweetie, your not dark. It’s not a bad thing but Alek Wek is dark, your brown–big difference. One thing to know on your journey for justice is not to let the ignorant define you. Better yet, don’t repeat their utterances and assume them for yourself. Above all you are a human being first. Good luck!

  2. I think you are absolutely beautiful Lucinda. I love your style and everything that i have seen from your photos. Its sad that our beauty is not mainstream as yet, but i am confident that with time and websites like fashionbombdaily we are making lots of headways. Keep up the great work. Do you have a blog?

  3. CUte, StyLisH, Chic. The POPS of color are nice, and purple looks great on you.

  4. Beautiful girl and great style. Fyi makeup should be fun and women of darker complexion should be faulted for wanting to play with it.

  5. I LOVE her!!! Her style is so classy yet still fun and altogether very chic! She looks smashing in every single photo! I love the dress in the very first photo, that print looks amazing :) Very nice good girl, you killin’ it!

  6. Love ur style esp the purple ensemble. Keep fighting girl, don’t ever give up. I’m having the same problem here in my city, Montreal. It is really hard out here for us aspiring Black fashion stylists & editor. But if you stay hard headed like I am, we can conquer them all ;)

  7. Love her style and without the makeup, but more importantly I love that she’s going after her dream and donig whatever it takes to get exposure – kudos!

  8. I like your goals, if you’re reading this I just wanted to say: don’t forget the fact that there are other avenues for fashion. For one, you’re very aware of something you want to change, for another you’re intelligent enough to be yourself, express, and articulate your goals. I think maybe someday you should consider opening your own magazine or printing company, even agency. Then you could hire all sorts of women/girls. You’re very beautiful and I think you’d make a great addition to a flawed industry. Higher fashion usually wants dark skin for African decent women and yet they want the hair to be straightened, particular nose, etc. And then there’s the desire for height. There are a lot of rules but yeah…let the good change begin :)
    A lot of agencies are starting to expand, it seems but society as a whole needs a makeover.

    You’re gorgeous by the way!

  9. great use of color, and the clothing totally compliments her. and great legs.

    and for anyone who EVER wants to cry about “reverse racism” when people were pissed about essence hiring a white woman as a fashion director for their magazine, this girl’s experiences are a prime example of how difficult it is for a for a black woman to even get a foot in the door of the fashion industry. this is why are forced to create our own media we are the focus and more likely to be on the covers and writing the stories, like essence.

  10. Like her style. 2 thumb up. Hate the dark vampy makeup. Hard to pull that look off and she just doesn’t.

    HATE the PLEAS for modeling gigs. I personally don’t think she has what it takes and believe there are other venues (maybe fashion stylist) that she can take. Stop begging this lily-white controlled industry to ACCEPT YOU! If you love yourself like you say you do search other areas or ways to be in the fashion industry. Begging for them to accept you is NOT going to help. You either got it or you don’t. And my opinion isn’t based on her complexion/hair. I just don’t think she has it.

  11. Thank you everyone for your feedback, I appreciate it. I live in Los Angeles, Ca. I wanted to add that I do not smoke anything and I only wear makeup for photos. Thank you :)

  12. Lucinda dear,
    Stunning. You’re on the right track. It may take a while for the agencies to catch on (trust me I know from experience). But keep doing your thing and they will come calling you.

  13. I hate how Mz Bronze tried to say she wasnt dark she’s “brown”. Duh she’s brown…..a beautiful DARK brown by American standards. Being dark is something we try to shy away from in the most subtle ways by distinguishing ourselves from such. Us black folk come in so many friggin shades and we try to categorize ourselves into aesthetic classes with darkest being the least desirable.

    I say F*ck the color categories. Girl just live ur life. U dont need the warped ideals of a modeling agency to define what it is to be beautiful and black. U are beautiful everday of ur life.

  14. Dear Lucinda,
    You got what it takes. You are beautiful, talented and hard working and knows what you want based on your comment. Continue to do what you are doing and have faith. “If you can envision it, you can do it.”
    This is my favorite Fashion Bomshell so far:)

  15. Your one of the best bombshells so far….all of the others could learn something from you

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