Naomi slams racism in fashion industry
|
Supermodel Naomi Campbell has slammed the fashion industry for being more racist than ever.
The London-born beauty is well known for speaking out about the lack of black models gracing magazine covers or strutting on catwalks.
The 37-year-old told one newspaper: 'Women of colour are not a trend. That's the bottom line. It's a pity that people don't always appreciate black beauty.
'In some instances, black models are being sidelined by major modelling agencies.
'Fashion needs to go back to the way it used to be when wonderful designers like Yves Saint Laurent, Gianni Versace and Azzedine Alaia just had a great line-up of beautiful women - white, black, Chinese, Hispanic.'
The model also revealed that some of her own breakthroughs in the fashion industry wouldn't have happened without the help of some of her famous friends.
'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',' she recalled.
'The only reason I got the cover of French Vogue was because Yves Saint Laurent called up and told them he'd pull his ads if they didn't.'
The star's comments came after a fashion agency executive, who represented Campbell for 17 years, spoke out about the problem.
Carole White, head of the Premier model agency said: 'Black models never make money. Even Naomi Campbell didn't make money like the white girls did, she was always offered less.'
© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
