The October edition of French Vogue features pictures of Dutch model Lara Stone in which the naturally pale-skinned blonde’s face and body are painted black. The photo shoot, styled by the magazine’s long-time editor, Carine Roitfeld, provoked outrage today as its subject spread through internet forums and fashion websites. The US blog Jezebel criticized the decision of Roitfeld and photographer Steven Klein to alter the model’s skin color, accusing them of cultural insensitivity.
“What Klein and Roitfeld should know … is that painting white people black for the entertainment of other white people is offensive in ways that stand entirely apart from cultural context,” it said. “France and Australia may not have the United States’ particular history of minstrel shows … but something about the act of portraying a white woman as black ought to sound an alarm, somewhere.”
French Vogue said the magazine was unaware of any controversy.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
What the heck is this?
Oh wow! Speechless…..
Fashion is always looking to push the envelope, they know exactly what they’re doing. It’s like tanning salons but to the 10th power.
Black is beautiful, but this takes it to a whole new level. If we did the same the media would rip us to shreds.
I almost think that the intention of the spread would have been more powerful and thought-provoking if the model was black. Portraying a black model in blackface for the purpose of entertaining the masses that read Vogue would have been satirical. The concept is offensive and its reinforced by pictures that arent even close to the fierceness of Naomi or Liya…or Iman. I agree with Soultress…it is a FAILED attempt to push the envelope.
tanning salons which are equipped with the latest equipment is the facility that i always visit “”