BLACK OR WHITE MODEL? NUMÉRO MAGAZINE “AFRICAN QUEEN” EDITORIAL

Numéro Magazine over-bronzed a 16 year old white model named Ondria Hardin to shoot an editiorial entitled ‘African Queen’. “Why hire a black model when you could just paint a white one!”

I first came across the story of this controversial editorial via Jezebel.com and had to review it for myself. As a fashion stylist, I am well aware of the sensitivity of the ‘colour issue’ in the fashion industry.

Making a huge issue out of the race subject had not previously been a main advocacy of mine but when a fashion opportunity arises, specifically for a particular race, gender or ethnicity and industry creatives decide to forgo the most suitable candidates for a more difficult option, there is obviously an issue. I try not to make anything, let alone fashion, about race or colour but this strikes me as a bit odd.

“Why hire a black model when you could just paint a white one!”

There’s no mincing the direction of the editorial. When you read the title, all assumptions are thrown out when you see the fashion story in full. The model IS suppose to be an “African Queen” and not only that “a woman”. It baffles me why they wouldn’t just hire a black model for an editorial so specifically focused.

Honesty, it is bewilderment rather than surprise that I feel here. Especially not after the issue of Andrej Pejic being the face (and chest) of a woman’s bra campaign. I imagine many black models will feel someway about this but sadly this wont be the last of such events.

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**UPDATE**

It was recently brought to my attention by fellow blogger Samiya that Numero Magazine have actually endorsed this ‘colouring’ strategy before when in 2010, the magazine used the white model Constance Jablonski for an editorial where she was painted black and sported an afro playing with a little black baby.

The fact that Numero Magazine have actually done this before makes me question their perceptions of diversity even more, regardless of their response. I don’t know that they wouldn’t try this ‘colour’ play or dare I say it “blackface” again.

What do you think of this story? It is not an issue or were Numero Magazine quite calculated with this editorial?

Read Numero Magazine’s response to this article.