Modelling agencies accused of racism in the fashion industry
AN EMERGENCY SUMMIT to tackle the issue of racism in the fashion industry will take place in London next year. Race campaigners, designers, model agencies and politicians will be invited to the event, organised by Liberal Democrat spokesperson Dee Doocey who has spoken out about the issue.
Ms. Doocey, the former managing director of an international fashion house, commented, ' I don't know if it's racism, or just the fashion industry languishing in the doldrums, but it needs to change. Agencies only seem interested in leggy blonde girls.'
A contest to find the next supermodel of colour will take place in November this year, and aims to highlight the issue of racism in the industry. Sola Oyebabe, whose agency is behind the campaign added, 'Non-white people make up about 30% of the population but we don't even make up 1% of models.'
In August this year, Naomi Campbell announced that she was to open a modelling agency in Kenya, in an attempt to get more black faces on the catwalk. At the time she stated, 'Black models are being sidelined by the major modelling agencies.'
