Top black stylemakers pulled no punches Friday at a panel discussion that accused some top names in fashion of racism.
But in a thought-provoking discussion involving Iman, Andre Leon Talley, Tracy Reese and others, Naomi Campbell stole the show with remarks that make us wonder what, again, is she smoking?
"I've never been on the cover of British Vogue and I've asked a million times and they've always refused me," Campbell insisted at the Blacks in Fashion event.
"They'll put the same white model for half the year — I swear like six times, but wouldn't put me on once in my own country. But I still want my British Vogue cover!"
For the record, since 1987 Naomi has been on the cover of British Vogue eight times: twice with other models, once posing with Diddy and five times by herself.
That bizarre comment aside, Campbell spoke some hard truths about being a person of color in the fashion industry.
"The only time they care about black models is in February [Black History Month]," she said.
"Linda [Evangelista] and Christy [Turlington] would go to big designers and say, 'If you don't pick Naomi to be in your show, then I don't want to be in it.' That's how I got Prada and Helmut [Lang]."
She also said she appeared on the cover of French Vogue only because Yves Saint Laurent "called up ... and told them he'd pull his ads if they didn't. So of course I got the cover."
It must really have been a big deal — she remembers that one!
Source: NY Daily News
Strange. I wonder what Naomi was thinking? I do think it's a bit sad that so far this was the only newspaper article I could find referring to the "Blacks in Fashion" panel discussion, which it didn't even mention it by name. I hope someone gives a first hand account of what when on there, Naomi drama aside.
**EDIT**: I was just over at Clutch Magazine's site and it looks like the panel discussion received some ink from The Guardian.
Source: Lipstick Alley (MAR)