New form of Fashion

all black edition, Italian Vogue

Fashion or the fashion world is a world where all kinds of people from various countries and ethnic groups, gather, collaborate, work and produce beautiful fashion items that will be purchased and used by people from various circles as well. But what if the world of fashion that we love this raises a particular issue, let's call it a problem of skin color, ethnicity and body size. Models sometimes still get black discrimination in the fashion world, whether it's a problem they appear in fashion spreads or editorial, use them as models in the ad campaign or a fashion designer fashion house until the absence of certain black models on runways or fashion week.

naomi campbell by steve meisil on Italian Vogue, All black Edition

Legendary Fashion Photographer Steven Meisel has his own theory would be the absence of black models from the runway stage. "Maybe the fashion designer, perhaps also because of the Fashion Editor" she said. "They are people who are influential and also the advertisers. My client has asked me 'Can we use black models?" They said, No! "His concern is that consumers will reject the product, he said. "It all comes down to money."

liya kebede, Tyra Banks, Toccara Jones in all black edition, Italian Vogue

But there are still some high-fashion magazines like Vogue, for example, who was still in contact with sensitive matters is who. In the year 2008 when the President of the United States, Barack Obama, who at that time was still a senator, was famous-tenarnya and into a new atmosphere and hope for the world Global, fashion was influenced by these events. And then Editor in Chief Italian Vogue, Franca Sozzani and Meisel Steven collaborated on a major project for the global fashion world to create a special edition dedicated to the black model. Inspired by Barack Obama's campaign and the fact that the reduced diversity of skin color and Meisel fashion show on stage who are frustrated with the refusal of black models by the industry. So Be 4 Supermodel Liya Kebede namely blacks, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn and Naomi Campbell in this Italian edition of Vogue Cover. In that edition in addition to the above names are also present Tyra Banks, Iman, Chanel Iman, Alexandrovitch WEH, Alva Chin, Noemie Lenoir, Change, Veronica Webb, Arlenis Sosa, Gail O'Neill, Karen Alexander, and Toccara Jones alumni of America's Next Top third cycle model which, besides representing the black model but also represents a plus sized model.

plus size model

After attending to the issue that seems to support and respect the existence of black models by Italian Vogue, again arising from a polemic in the world of fashion with the publication in October 2009 edition of the French / Parisian Vogue. In the edition that put iconic supermodel Kate Moss's face it in an edition dedicated to the world's top fashion models from time to time and the reality of the matter is the issue that became a colorless and Zero edition black model. And many people call it an All white issue of French Vogue. This was also spurred by the presence of fashion pages spreads / editorial featuring supermodel's favorite French editor in chief of Vogue, Carrine Roitfiled, namely Lara Stone.

from left to right : special TOP MODELS french/parisian Vogue cover, Lara Stone Blackface

from left to right : supermodel Lara Stone, Lara stone Blackface on French Vogue

Which form the controversy is the presence of Lara Stone in an editorial that the 'used' black models, perhaps this will not be great if the mbak lara Stone is indeed a black model, but in fact, Lara Stone is a white model in the whole body paint and displayed as a black model. Then came the Blackface Controversy in French Vogue, which makes the world fashion, particularly as though Vogue who make offensive statements against black models. Already bid on the runway a bit street as well as the ad campaign, this is why spreads / editorial model should be done by blacks themselves in ethnic displays, even given to the white model. Many also support diatribe on what is done by Vogue, some say it as a 'form of creativity that you want to show by Vogue' and the cons say 'Vogue racist against models with skin-colored'. As a lover and observer of fashion and the visual, I think it is fine if it was said to be a form of creativity that you want to appear Vogue, but as an Asian person that in fact it is still a minority in the global fashion industry, it seems less wise for Vogue magazine that digadang-gadangkan as 'the bible of the fashion world', hurting some of 'his people'. Should fashion as a multi-billion dollar business and also as a proponent of the lifestyle and needs of all people, does not discriminate against color, ethnicity and body size specific.

Then about colorless happens on stage fashion show, there is a point to show a higher-Miuccia Prada keroknya. Since nearly 10 years since the 1997-2008 model last black runs for the Prada show was Naomi Campbell, Prada since then never show black models in every presentation collection, Zero Black Model. Miuccia Prada is famous for his love of cold-faced models typical of Eastern Europe such as Sasha Pivovarova (my favorite model). Prada is often a reference to the trend, blamed for the occurrence of zero black models at fashion show pangung. Until the year 2008 to do a buzz with Miuccia Prada shows Jourdan Dunn, the only black model in the Fashion berlenggok Prada collection Fall / Winter 2008. After that, this year again showing two Prada models blacks Rose Cordero and Joan Smalls running on the Prada runway for Fall 2010 collection. Also the presence of Doutzen Kroes, Dutch model non 0/zero sized, who once said "I do not do runway shows, Because I do not fit the sample size", which also ran in the Fall 2010 Prada runway.

from left to right : Rose Cordero, Joan Smalls and Doutzen Kroes on Prada Runway Fall 2010

What About Asian?

from left to right : Liu Wen, Tao Okamoto, Lakshmi Menon

We have heard a lot of discrimination against black models, then how are you doing with the global fashion industry players from Asia, or the yellow skin? It seemed, fate models from Asia more fortunate, it seems, because there has been no news beasar about discrimination against the model from Asia. And Asians also have contributed considerable to be said for the global fashion industry. There is Devon Aoki, Liu Wen, Lakshmi Menon and Tao Okamoto which can be categorized as a Top Model. Then also a lot of Fashion Designers of international dikancah victorious as Johji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo with Comme December Garçons, Issey Miyake, Vera Wang, Anna Sui, Alexander Wang, Thakoon Panicghul, Doo.ri, Phillip Lim and many more. In the field of media there is Erika Kurihara Fashion Editor ID magazine (british based magazine) and many more from Asia that will become 'The Next Big Thing in Fashion World'. But the ethnic minorities are more developed and advanced his career in the United States than in Europe.

from left to right : Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Erika Kurihara

from left to right : takhoon panicghul, Anna Sui, Doo.ri

Our Local Scene?

Raden Roro by Liquica Anggraini

And what about Indonesia? Although there are some Indonesian Fashion Designer who start go international as well as Young Fashion Designer who studied at the State such as Paris, Milan and New York who pioneered a career there, but not as lucky or Takhoon Doo.ri. There are names like Liquica Anggraini a pioneering career in New York who designnya already used by several Hollywood celebrities. For a young Fashion Designer in Indonesia is still pioneering career as Mel Ahyar, Nina Nikicio, Kleting Wigati with label KLE, Rama Dauhan and Dana Maulana with label Danjyo / Hyoji, Stella Risa, Jeffrey Tan and others, are still a lot of homework to be done them, that is changing the paradigm of Indonesian society in view of local products should also be a fashion designer where the government gave special attention to the perpetrator is also a local fashion, because this industry is also a lot of foreign exchange and contribute to the empowerment of artisans, textile entrepreneurs and local retail. What also should be a record for the Local Fashion Designer is to create quality products that cost more consumer friendly and no longer dikantong become too exclusive, so that later in the Indonesian Fashion lovers can buy and use products (X) SML than Zara or Topshop, and more loving Biyan or Edward Hutabarat than Marc Jacobs.

Part One by Edward Hutabarat