Vogue Italia Pays Tribute To Black Beauties (PHOTOS)

Vogue Italia has continued to celebrate black models with a vibrant editorial in the glossy's May issue.

Jeneil Williams, Cici Ali, Ubah Hassan, Gayle McDonald, Kelly Moreira, Jae Childs, R'el Dade, Jasmine Tookas, Lily Taylor and Ariel Meredith strike a pose in summer duds and accessories in "Tribute to Black Beauties," photographed by Ellen von Unwerth and styled by Giulio Martinelli.

The accompanying text reads, in part:

A tribute is due to the woman whose skin tone ranges from alabaster to mahogany to smooth onyx, who can flawlessly carry any makeup look -- from gold dusted lids to fuchsia blush to ripe purple and pink glosses. These pages pay homage to the versatile woman whose hair can oscillate from a tightly coiled and coifed Afro, to sleek layers, to a slicked back pixie cut in a matter of minutes. To the divine woman whose enviably full lips, strong, white teeth, and delightful smile have been known to electrify the hearts of many. To the siren whose smooth, velvety skin blocks the sun yet remains supple and unblemished with the passage of time.

Exquisite! The new pictures are certainly a far style cry from the magazine's last all-black spread, "The Black Allure," which had a sort of flapper feel, featuring ladies clad in fringe, turbans and costume jewels. Not so practical for spring/anytime.

Take a look at a few pictures from "Tribute to Black Beauties," and head over to Vogue.it to see the rest.

Comments

[AG creative]

01:46 AM on 05/09/2011

Good start.

[moana]

01:34 AM on 05/08/2011

Token tribute. They can do better by featuring black models consistently, not just once in a great while.

[Inanina]

09:11 PM on 05/08/2011

totally agree!! It's some sort of style segregation. Most women of this generation have the same fashion sense regardless of ethnicity. I don't see much fashion in this 70s afro-stereotype.

[letuckerchicago]

10:55 AM on 05/07/2011

Meh. Good intentions but the styling is whack. It seems to reveal an uninformed concept of the beauty of Black women. White people in fashion are still struggling to work it out. You see better looking and more interesting looks standing on line at a club on any weekend night. Black women aren't "wacky" or "exotic", just great looking. Free your mind, etc.

[reader1]

08:51 PM on 05/06/2011

WTF!!!!!

[pthesmith]

06:54 PM on 05/06/2011

Afro wigs and clown-like make-up are not a tribute to black beauty.

[thelipstickfemme]

02:16 PM on 05/09/2011

I really don't like the terrible wigs at all. How is that a tribute to the diversity within the Black beauty spectrum?

[Msmix]

04:32 PM on 05/06/2011

beautiful article!! but the model's correct name is Gaye McDonald

[Dee Dee Russell]

12:14 PM on 05/06/2011

Playful fun colorful nice and sweet. What's there not to like?

[Marcusarilius]

06:22 AM on 05/06/2011

No Foxy Roxy? Shaftette? Not even a young Aunt Jamima?

[Queen Cassandra]

03:43 AM on 05/06/2011

Why are they All wearing wigs ? We have Beautiful hair...., Let's see the natural Beauties.

[Dee Dee Russell]

10:19 PM on 05/05/2011

YES!
Beautiful! This will be forwarded to every social media platform that I have!!

Now, Carol's Daughter needs to take notes on Black skin tone diversity (am boycotting CD for their 'all light skin' ads)!

WHY does it take Europeans to do what AA companies don't? Which is show a realistic portrayal of the different shades of Black.

[Nikita007]

12:09 PM on 05/06/2011

I'm sure you are. After all, anything WHITE is racist - according to you, isn't it?

[Dee Dee Russell]

12:11 PM on 05/06/2011

Can't stop looking at those lovely pics and would love to see a similar spread in an American fashion magazine ..uh, like...ESSENCE.

[dididangerlove]

05:36 PM on 05/05/2011

Great. My afro jealousy has returned. It took me decades to get over the fact my hair would never do that in a million years.

[Comeplayinmyreality]

04:40 PM on 05/05/2011

Why does her hand have to be resting on the other lady's head, I would be a little upset with that.

[natalie7]

04:40 PM on 05/05/2011

now can someone give these girls some movie or tv roles--doesn't have to be the lead!

[cherieamour]

06:16 PM on 05/05/2011

...OKAY?!!!...

[Absolute]

03:26 PM on 05/05/2011

I like the sentiment but I have to say that I think the pictures are terrible, so is the makeup.

[Assumed Name]

07:47 PM on 05/05/2011

...there's that. :)

[ChgoKat]

01:38 PM on 05/06/2011

@ Absolute, I agree. No disrespect, I think its wonderful what Vogue Italia is doing this but consulting with some Blk stylists would have helped. We are so much more than these 70's Afro wigs. We rock braids, locs, straight, short, long. And please no Nicki Ninjas, Sean Johns, or Beyonce moms. Real Blk stylist.

[JJovana]

02:37 PM on 05/05/2011

Italian and French Vogue are truly mavens for cutting edge high fashion, unaffraid to utilize woman's sexuality, bit of provocation, and also incorporating many beautiful girls of color and different heritage.

American Vogue features blond celebrities and armies of Soviet barbies jumping up and down with wind machine blowing their hair.

Blows my mind that Wintour is the most powerful woman in fashion.