She's Black and She's Bald!

I don't know about you guys, but I'm so sick of seeing dark skin bald models, giving the appeal that black women can't grow hair. I mean think about it, if you put enough images of bald black models, one can only assume maybe black girls can't grow hair?!

Now dont get me wrong I loved the Alek Wek look and I love the short buzz cut look, but how many Alek Wek clones can you create? They're exceptions such as Jourdan Dunn and Marihenny Passible, BUT that does not out weigh the majority. And majority rules. It almost makes it seem like the fashion is obsessed with this one look or even deeper, only capable of visualizing this androgynous look on black women. I say androgyness because short cuts especially buzz cuts are associated with masculine features. A nicer way of saying this without offending a women's femininty is saying "edgy", or their look is so edgy.

I don't have issues with adrogyness look or edgy, which ever term is preferred. I in fact think the look is totally cool and they're plenty of androgyness white models, but you get all different looks from white models. You don't just get that one stereotyped look, you got edgy girls such as: Arizona Muse, Agyness Deyn, Hanna Ben Abdesselum, Kristen McMenamy, etc. But you also have a whole bunch of softer feminine girls such as: Karlie Kloss, Natasha Poly, Jak Jagciak, Karmen Pedaru, Constance Jablonski, Natalia Vodianova. And don't even let me get to sexy bombshells, it'll go on and on. You understand me?

But it seems to be the bald edgy look is the "look" for black models. Just a few thoughts I'd like to comment about diversity in looks.



NOTE: Notice how lighter skin/mixed models seem to have the "longer hair" or take on the sexier jobs such as VS and are more "commercial". Or at least can do both "edgy" and "girl next door" looks.

How much more i-D covers Ms. Dunn?

I'm a big follower of Jourdan modeling career ever sense she's made her big break on Italian Vogue cover for the black issue. And as a true follower I've notice two things:

1. Jourdan has a consistant modeling career. (even after baby break)
2. Jourdan has yet to REALLY make her big break.

I say this because even though Jourdan is a top runner for fashion week and gets decent amount of bookings, it always seems like she just made it. Or she's almost there, but didn't quite get it. Other girls like Karlie, Joan, or Liu Wen have done it to me. But Jourdan being one of the very few black women doing well in the industry, I'd think she get something big already, like a big cosmetics campaign, the cover of Bristish Vogue, or a solo girl ad campaign for a huge fashion house.

Anyway's what brought me to this attention was her new cover of i-D magazine, which she seems to get a cover every year. The issue has multiple covers, but my thoughts are: "damn! when will she just be on the cover of British Vogue solo".

Anyway here is Jourdan's i-D cover history:

October 2012 Fall Issue

November 2011 Winter Issue

April 2011 Spring Issue

September 2009 Pre-Fall Issue

 March 2009 Issue

September 2008 Issue

 

GOOD LUCK JOURDAN!! =)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Smalls #1 models.com

I'm returning to blogging about models and sort of changing my views and direction with this blog. Instead of just reporting random modeling countdowns, I'm going to be really focusing my energy on issues and the attitude of the industry.

Here I'm kinda late, but the biggest news seems to be Joan Smalls #1 ranking on models.com
Now models.com website I tend to check very so often and they seem to have pretty good reflection or representation of the modeling industry. So putting Joan Smalls as number one seemed pretty on point. CONGRATS to Joan Smalls and and her ranking. And it seems as though Karlie and Arizona come right after her which means I was right about there high status.

It seems as though the biggest hype of the ranking of Joan Smalls is well....SHE'S BLACK! Or at least she ethnic girl, someone that is non- white. To me this is a little surprising considering how white dominating this industry is, it makes me assume that a lot of this was planned by the industry altogether. Why I say this?

This industry has changed, simply because of time, technology, and focus. A long time ago a model was discovered and developed. So one designer might use them for a show or ad campaign, but that didn't mean everyone would use her, or even know about her being the "it girl". Nowadays a girl enters fashion week booking all every show even though she looks like an average becky, and you wonder what made her stick out so much?

I really fascinated and wonder when or even how long Joan Smalls will kept as #1, my assumptions are 1 year tops. So by 2014 or late 2013, I'm sure to expect a new number one.

I also question this constant idenfication as her being black when she really is bi-racial. I'll right more about that next time.  Anyway CONGRATS Joan Smalls.

Joan Smalls on British Harpers Bazaar

Rated #1 on Models.com

Top 10 Supermodels of ALL TIME

This is a rating not just based on money, high fashion, or favoritism. This is based on influence and impact in the MODELING industry, not just contour. 

These girls who can arguably be in the top 10 but didn't put them:

LAUREN HUTTON: She deff was great with the vogue covers and all but she didn't quite as memorable as these girls.

CHERYL TIEGS: She's a one trick pony...sports illustrated is not versatile enough.

JANICE DICKENSON: Again not big enough.

DARIA, GEMMA, NATALIA, NATASHA, LILYA etc.: None of these girls are supermodels by definition or influence.

VS MODELS: nope

Anything else just comment below =)

10. Twiggy

9. Christy Turlington

8. Christie Brinkley

7. Gisele Bundchen

6. Claudia Schiffer

5. Linda Evangalista

4. Naomi Campbell

3. Elle Macpherson

2. Kate Moss

1. Cindy Crawford

Isabelli Fontanna's dark skin?

The H&M spring summer swim ad is hot and sizzling as always with Isabeli taking the lead spot for the 2012 campaign. But most can noticed that her skin has got a little or too much sizzle for that matter.

Some even an argue they were better off going with a Black model?!?

H&M ultimately apologized for the extreme tan because they do not want to offend anyone considering the huge tanning issue in society and skin cancer.

All I have to say is black is beautiful =) lol

Black Models on Supplement Vogue?

So recently newcomer Nyasha Matohondze, who has had some great runway season (except for the recent one, because of schooling) has made it to the cover of British Vogue!!! Oh wait no...sorry... British Supplement Vogue edition. -_- This is no different than Jourdan Dunn's supplement vogue cover back in 2009
I don't get why they have such an issue putting these girls on a British Vogue cover alone without the supplement. Don't they know that putting these black models on the cover would actually improve sales. It doesn't matter I'm tired of these girls getting half ass work that they don't deserve. Let these girls become top models.

Nyasha Matohondze- Supplement British Vogue cover May 2012 issue

 

 Jourdan Dunn- Supplement Bristish Vogue cover June 2009 issue

What a shame.

10 Influential Top Models of 2000's

Gisele Bundchen
The last ultra supermodel left...this woman brought Brazil to the map, makes the most money estimated 35 million, and lets face it she the only model that can move through American magazines. She's the first to do the cross-over from fashion to mainstream and back again.

Karolina Kurkova

This girl cannot go unforgotten, she was the youngest model to be on the cover of vogue at the age of 15! She's blond hottie with her huge VS contract and her ability to do the crossover...she's KK.

Carmen Kass

Girl splashed into the early 2000's fashion scene with a bit of a twist. She had curves! Well for high fashion standards of course. But this women has broken many records with her huge contracts (can't forget Dior ad campaign) countless runways, and covers across the world. She even shared a American vogue cover with Gisele!

Liya Kebede

No one can forget this gorgeous ethiopian. How can you say the 2000's without her. She seemed to be a token black girl (like most black supermodels) but super she was. She had a million dollar contract with Estee Lauder and even had French Vogue dedicate a whole issue on her. Talk about admiration. Also her Haper Bazzar Cover sold really high (who says black models can sell??? pshhh).

Natalia Vodianova

This Russian beauty who started the "russian invasion" had the ultimate cinderella story. She started as a young girl selling fruits at a fruit stand to making mega million as a model. Appearing in every runway show possible including being muses of almost every designer, this woman seems to have a big footprint left in the fashion scene. She could never be forgotten. Neither those big blue sultry eyes. One glare can kill.

Daria Werbowy

Her career didn't bounce up out of no where. In fact she had a somewhat slow start. It took her about two years for her to get in, but once she was in it, she was bomb! She not only was on top of the fashion industry, but is that famous star face of Lancome. She's a true Canadian beauty.

Gemma Ward

One of the biggest stars to hit the fashion industry, this girl started the infamous baby doll face. And inspired looks like jessica stam, caroline trentini, and lily cole. She's an average Austrailian girl with looks that can turn a picture to piece of art. She's the model designers dreamed about this decade, a face that is easil transformable.

Agyness Deyn

This punk rock chic put fun in fashion. Her edgy fun look gave something designers can really play with. Her personality was very exciting and her looks in pictures were even more of splash, she was brief but huge.

Coco Rocha

This Canadian beauty sparked the fashion industry by dancing in a Jean Paul Gaultier fashion. She was spunky, bubbly, and made the industry actually miss supermodels. Talk about influence. She not only has the power to literally transform in photoshoots like Gemma does but she actually becomes an actor by portraying strong emotions and amazing poses. She's a chameleon. And speaks out on eating disorders that she once struggled with.

Lara Stone

Started off a bit rocky in her career almost quitting. But this extremely edgy girl brought beauty to curves, no apparent eye brows, and gaped teeth. She has a huge calvin klein campaign and pretty much took 2009 by storm.