With Liya, Naomi and Bethann Hardison
LACK OF BLACK IMAGES IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY My closest friend Bethann Hardison put together a panel discussion during New York Fashion Week to discuss the lack of black models in the fashion shows. Naomi Campbell, Liya Kebede, Tyson Beckford and myself were among the attendees. The situation was starkly evident during the New York shows and some say it’s worse in Europe, where most black models don’t even bother to book shows in Milan. The problem isn’t only in the modelling world: we also pointed to the scarcity of black designers, photographers and executives in the fashion industry as a major issue. Is there discrimination in the fashion business? You bet!
With Michael Roberts of Vanity Fair
BALENCIAGA The only party i attended during Fashion Week was the kick off bash at Barneys honoring the Balenciaga designer Nicolas Ghesquiere. As i arrived at the party with a large 60’s bouffant hair and very high heels the photographer Patrick Mcmullan said: ” Come have your picture taken with the Olsen twins!” They are bizarrely, frighteningly small that they barely reached to my knees! I tactfully replied: “Not good for me, and really bad for them.”
Backstage with Naomi Campbell
FASHION FOR RELIEF My dear friend Naomi Campbell took it upon herself during fashion week in New York to help raise money for the victims of Katrina. She single handedly within few days galvanized both models and celebrities to an event that closed fashion week. With a major fashion show, clothes all donated by top designers and models and celebrities walking down the runway…. from Beyonce, Veronica Webb, the legendary seventies model Pat Cleveland, Janice Dickinson, Nicole Richie and many more. Clothes went on auction on Yahoo.com. and specially designed t-shirts by Ralph Lauren on Polo.com
