Carole White, Modeling Agent: Milan & Paris 'Absolutely Don't Want Black Girls'
In a lengthier article entitled "Is The Fashion Industry Racist? Yes -- And It Goes Right To Its Core," the Daily Mail's Liz Jones sits down with Premier Model Management founder Carole White to discuss whether there's any progress being made on the catwalk or in front of cameras.
White, Naomi Campbell's former agent, remarked, "At the high end, it is slightly better now. But in the mid-range -- the catalogues, the e-commerce websites -- it is difficult. They want girls who are ethnic, but light-skinned girls. If a girl is very dark, they say no."
Carole says the problem stems from the influential fashion capitals of Milan and Paris.'There, they absolutely don't want black girls. A black model has to be a real star before you can take her there. They only take a black girl when the biz is buzzing about her.'
However, European cities can't take all of the blame. In March, Jezebel reported that New York's most recent fashion week (Fall 2011) was the "whitest" since 2008, "featur[ing] 137 designer runway shows and presentations, and 5,269 different fall outfits were presented to the world's retailers and press. Of those 5,269 looks, 4,468 -- an overwhelming 84.8% -- were modeled by white women."
White also pinpoints photographers, saying a lot of them "don't know how to light a black girl."
White hasn't hesitated in the past to talk about industry goings-on, previously telling the Mail, "Now, we talk to our models about nutrition, make sure they have a personal trainer. Even our language has changed. A decade ago, we would have just said: 'Don't eat,'" and, "You'd think these girls would have handsome boyfriends, but they don't. They date short men who are insecure."
Read the rest at DailyMail.co.uk.
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The Huffington Post Hilary Moss First Posted: 06/14/2011 8:38 am Updated: 08/14/2011 5:12 am