Gisele Bundchen, Most Brazilian Supermodels Come From Only 3 States

Ask anyone to name one Brazilian supermodel and the answer will likely be Gisele Bundchen. a few others you might have heard of are Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio and Isabeli Fontana. However, these beauties only represent part of Brazil; in fact, according to the New York Times, "70 percent of the country's models come from three southern states that hardly reflect the multiethnic melting pot that is Brazil, where more than half the population is nonwhite."

"I was always perplexed that Brazil was never able to export a Naomi Campbell, and it is definitely not because of a lack of pretty women," Erika Palomino, a fashion consultant in Sao Paulo told the Times. "It is embarrassing."

The problem does seem to be more that a non-white Brazilian model can't make it big on the world's catwalk, and not necessarily that minorities are ignored within the country itself. Sao Paulo Fashion Week has to give at least 10 percent of its spots to African or indigenous models and Brazilian designer Walter Rodrigues opened Rio Fashion Week with 25 black models. Nonwhite women frequently grace the pages of magazines.

What do you think?

Comments

[Alexandra Zsomethin]

01:25 PM on 06/12/2010

It's interesting that I never see any articles in the NY Times questioning the large numbers of Jews in journalism. But mostly poor white girls from Southern Brasil achieving success in proportions greater than their total share of the population? Yes, that must be attacked vigorously! Typical racist, hypocritical nonsense from the Times.

[Purduegrl07]

11:32 AM on 06/12/2010

I was actually JUST talking about this same thing with my husband a few days ago. I told him that I could name about ten Brazilian models off the top of my head from Rio Grande do Sul, and one from each of about 3 other states! I'm an American living in the state of Pernambuco where self-described mulato model Emanuela de Paula hails from... and yes life is very different here than in the more southern states, but regardless hopefully models like Emanuela pave the way for more models from this region to be discovered :)

[Balzac]

04:42 PM on 06/10/2010

Brazilians themselves must have a national fetish for blond chicks. When I go to Brazil, I'll be going there for the blended exotics, myself. But I am a huge fan of Gisele, regardless.

[Mahi Joe]

10:43 AM on 06/09/2010

One of the most beautiful and talented Brazillian models ever to grace the runways of Paris was Dalma.

[Mahi Joe]

10:45 AM on 06/09/2010

I forgot to mention, she was a brunette her entire time as a model.

[KIVPossum]

10:22 AM on 06/09/2010

We have the same thing here. The girls all have black hair until they are 17-20. Then it turns blond overnight. Something genetic I guess

[socialtalker]

10:00 AM on 06/09/2010

the germans and dutch and other nordic countries live in the 40th degree north latitudes, when they looked for new colonies, they looked for a similar latitude in the southern hemiphere with the reasoning being they could use the farming methods and livestock they were used to, hence you see where they settled, southern brazil and argentina and they brought their insular racial attitudes with them and it has served them well. they have been able to exploit the new land and keep enjoy
still be white to the northern countries. there is nothing special about the white brazilian models, they go to the northern countries, the white industry choose them, even over black models from those same countries. african folks need to build their own wealth class that will hire their people, no matter what country they are from. its really that simple.

[UnknownSolider]

08:56 AM on 06/10/2010

I see where you are coming from, but you don't have enough information to understand the intracacies of national finance let alone global finance.

Read the book Black Titan about A.G. Gaston then get back at me.

Most the problems with the former colonialized African nations are due to global interference.

[socialtalker]

05:30 AM on 06/13/2010

i would never say i know finance, but what little i do understand i wouldnt have time to post here anyway. black titan sounds like a nice book, i think i will read it, but it more like individual accomplishment. i wish you main have taken the time to develop your point on why you mentioned his book.
"Most the problems with the former colonialized African nations are due to global interference" you are speaking of a symptom, not a cause.

[TruthHasSpoken]

08:27 PM on 06/12/2010

Instead of looking at it that way which could take a while for blacks or Africans to establish their own industry given the state of their economic development right now. Why don't look at it this way, there is opportunity for them if all the races openly integrate which has been progressing through the years. Almost faster than the pace that blacks establish their own industries the way you talk about. To do this we all need to stop thinking like you, that is by thinking outside skin color. The only influence that skin color has to you is cultural. What distinguish blacks from Africa is their African culture and europeans their european culture. You on the other hand are an American you are the same culture outside your family unit. Your fabric of life might be affected by your social economic class. It's been 40+ years since the civil right movement and 140+ years since the civil war. Compared to the slavery that have grown since the beginning of civilization, there has been significant improvement in the way of life of most minorities today compared to the opportunity they have in their origin country. Please think about ways we can grow these relationships we have built all these years, besides 250 thousand years ago we were all cousins.

[socialtalker]

04:41 AM on 06/13/2010

cont. is see you are also pushing this, its not race, its class brainwashing line. thats a very clever way to get black folks to voluntarily lock themselves into a permanent underclass status to get thrown a little bone. not fallin for it. the same with the term "minority" whether they are an actual minority or not. white brazilians and white south africans have kinship with the whites of the northern hemisphere, and australia, which is why a white brazilian who speak no english can come here and get 10 times the work of a black model from ny. , similarly black brazilians, black europeans have had similar experiences, social, historical and economic and not just cultural experiences. i find it interesting why you would think black economic power would no be beneficial to the country they live in as well as to themselves. just look at the ethnic chinese.
i find it very curious you

[zeppelingirl89]

01:58 AM on 06/09/2010

Huh? Gisele is the only one of the Brasilian bunch that looks blonde. Ambrosio, Lima, Fontana...they are all dark-haired.

[Alexandra Zsomethin]

05:35 PM on 06/11/2010

Well, Gisele is the only Brasilian (or South Ameirican for that matter) to achieve Supermodel status. And of the top Brasilian fashion models most are fair skinned and with fair hair. Caroline Trentini, Raquel Zimmermann, Cintia Dicker, Ana Cláudia Michels, Martha Streck, ect. Jeísa Chiminazzo has dark hair but very white skin and green eyes. Ana Beatriz Barros is probably the most successful Brasilian model who is slightly pardo looking, but even she has bright blue eyes.

The HuffPost write up is a misleading interpretation of the article. Ambrosio, Lima, and Fontana are all well known because of VS but not particuarly high up in the fashion model food chain. Izabel Goulart is more successful than any of them within the actual fashion industry (but held a much lower profile within the Victoria's Secret world).

[ptrgamb]

01:27 AM on 06/09/2010

SI, a couple of decades ago, actually had a couple of Brazilian cover models in swimsuits who looked not at all like Gisele.

[Alexandra Zsomethin]

05:37 PM on 06/11/2010

SI is not the fashion industry. It is a Sport's Magazine that releases a once a year bikini edition. Few of the models that have ever appeared in SI have been successful fashion models.

[mssreader]

12:18 AM on 06/09/2010

I wouldn't call Gisele a blond!

[khg1]

09:35 PM on 06/08/2010

Hmmmm Hair dye? I'm just saying....

[gratonite]

09:58 PM on 06/08/2010

lol. Most blondes I know aren't blonde.

[tangelan]

09:09 PM on 06/08/2010

N a z i influence?

[SukiTheCat]

11:52 AM on 06/09/2010

those good ole boys from brazil

[libluv235]

03:01 AM on 06/10/2010

yup and the usual r-ac-is-m.

[GeeBee]

08:15 PM on 06/08/2010

I think Adriana Lima is not blonde, which makes the headline somewhat dumb.

[Joan Reeves]

06:44 PM on 06/08/2010

it's from a box

[JeffmChicago]

06:28 PM on 06/08/2010

America has not cornered the market on racism. That's what I think.

[Mister Biggles]

05:05 PM on 06/08/2010

White women have a natural variety of hair and eye color that other ethnicities do not.

Sorry.

[santiago sherwood]

05:42 PM on 06/08/2010

In Sweden they are crazy for latin women. It all comes down to everybody wants what they don't have.

[zeppelingirl89]

01:58 AM on 06/09/2010

Agreed.

[socialtalker]

10:54 PM on 06/08/2010

LOL, then why do the models all look alike?
seriously you act as if white women dont color their hair or eyes, have you watched a model show lately?
the simple reason is that the black population of the world refuses to build a viable merchant class that can build wealth and from that power and influence. they rely on the white population therefore to maintain control of the social and cultural industries, including the fashion industry.

[NY2MIA]

09:53 AM on 06/09/2010

I'm sure they "refuse" to build one like they "refuse" to overcome the prejudices that they face.