THE REBIRTH OF AN ERA
2ND COMING OF THE ORIGINAL SUPERMODELS
The tide has officially turned in fashion, as evident by the fall 2010 Paris shows, with designers from Lanvin to Christian Dior sending a flock of Afro-descendant models, down it’s runways. Afro-descendant because the leaders of the new school aren’t just black. With art imitating life, what we are now seeing on the runway is what we are seeing all around the world, and that is a celebration of the beauty of all races with Black, Asian, Latin, Indian and women of all colors being represented on t.v. and in magazines, finally showing the world that beauty comes in a variable kaleidoscope, not a singular shade.
Of course homage must be paid to the original supermodels, whom without, this current crop of fashion muses would not have had such a resounding debut. Traces of Donyale Luna, Beverly Johnson, Naomi Campbell, Veronica Webb, Trya Banks, Alek Wek, and Liya Kibede can all be found in this new breed of rising super model, who with the toss of a head, or the strut down a catwalk, or the sexy cut of an eye, grandiosely hint back to the glory days of the original supermodels aforementioned.
Donyale, one of the first black models ever, was the constant muse of one of the greatest fashion photographers of all time, Richard Avedon. Her exotic features blended from African, Mexican, Indian and Irish descent gave way to a new standard of beauty during the early 1960’s, as she was actually the first ethnic face to ever grace the cover of any fashion magazine when she debuted on the 1966 cover of British vogue and later on the cover of Harpers Bazaar. Her striking features bears some resemblance to model of the moment Chanel Iman. Chanel who is of Korean and Black descent, embodies the same tawny skin, full lips, slightly slanted eyes, and prominent cheek bones of Donyella. already a hit in the u.s., Chanel has conquered the runways of Paris, London ,and Milan, and is a star in Korea and Japan. Often photographed with model counterparts, Jordan Dunn, Sesille Lopez, and Arlenis Sosa. The four have formed a super model quartet reminiscent of the days when Naomi, Christi, Stephanie, and Linda dominated the fashion landscape. Like Chanel, Jordan, Sessilee, and Arlenis are fast becoming household names as well.
Arlenis who is of Dominican descent, has already secured a major campaign as spokes model for Lancome, her sweet face reminds me of model legend Beverly Johnson who was the first black model to appear on the cover of American Vogue in 1974.
Then there’s Jourdan Dunn, the first black model to walk the Prada runways in over a decade, discovered by Sarah Doukas, who discovered Kate Moss, Jourdan is staging her own runway revolution marching for equal beauty at Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Lanvin, and virtually every other major design house. Her calm beauty, soft features and creamy skin are a throw back to Liya Kebede, who was the first black model to land a cosmetic campaign with Este Lauder. Liya who has appeared in numerous magazines, is of Somolian descent, and apart from being a supermodel, gives tremendously of her time, and money to advance health, education, and woman’s rights in Africa.
Then there’s Sessilee. of Dominican, African, and Portuguese descent the smoldering eyes, the muscular frame, the pouty lips scream in reverence of the great Naomi. While no model past, present or to come, may ever reach the height which is Naomi Campbell, Sessilee exhibits that same intangible element that separates models from supermodels. Sessile yields that that thing that makes designers clamor and editors sway. From Stephen Meisel to karl Lagerfeld, Sessilee is well on her way to making her mark, as are so many other beautiful faces whose names, Rose Cordero, Emanuela De Paula, Demaris Lewis, Oluchi, Joan Smalls, Selita E. Banks, Jessica White Lakshimi Menon, and so many more continue to echo on the runways across the globe, on the pages of top magazines, and in the halls of virtually every cosmetic company, signaling a new era of fashion, where beauty is represented by the leagues of gorgeous brown woman, hailing from all over the Globe. From the U.S. to the Caribbean, to London, To Africa, Asia, India, and beyond.
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