14 DAY TRIAL // As much as we'd like to deny it, prejudice is still at the heart of many things that go on in the fashion industry. When it comes to race discrimination, there's no better example than the modeling and advertising business, which has been resolutely refusing to employ more black models for several decades now. Under these circumstances, an all-black issue of the Italian Vogue magazine comes as a hugely surprising and yet incredibly pleasant revelation. One of the architects of this revolutionary step forward in the fight against discrimination and prejudice was the famous photographer Steven Meisel, who - together with Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani - proves he has a definite taste for controversy.
For the July issue of Italian Vogue, Meisel only worked with black models - and it's not just the faces of the models that are black, as the vast majority of the feature topics are also related to black women and their fare in arts and entertainment. Meisel displays his pictures on over 100 pages in the magazine, and we can all admire his work and his choices as early as next Thursday in Europe, soon afterwards in the States. For the very anxious of you who feel they can't wait much longer, here is a little photo preview of Meisel's work - which truly looks like it was worth all the gossip and controversy.
The magazine cover is actually a four-photo foldout, featuring pros Liya Kebede and Naomi Campbell along with two newcomers to the pro business - Jourdan Dunn and Sessilee Lopez. Inside the pages of the magazine, we can find more Naomi Campbell shots, alongside glamorous shots of many other models, some already consecrated, some in the early stages of their careers - such as Iman, Tyra Banks, Liya Kebede, Alek Wek and so many more. "I thought, it's ridiculous, this discrimination. It's so crazy to live in such a narrow, narrow place. Age, weight, race - every kind of prejudice," Meisel said in an interview with the New York Times. Keep an eye out for the July issue of Vogue Italia and stay tuned for more news.
