Black Models Still Not Treated Equally, Says Naomi Campbell

A year ago, Vogue Italia made history with its July issue, which featured an all-black cast of models. That issue wasn't created in a vacuum. Editors at the magazine made their gutsy (but ultimately lucrative) decision after critics, noting the absence of models of color on the runway and in magazines, began calling attention to the racial disparities in the world of high fashion. Vogue Italia was supposed to herald the beginning of a new era, one in which black models are just as in demand as white ones.

But one of the most famous black models in the world, Naomi Campbell, says there's at least one facet of the industry that's just as bad as it ever was when it comes to black models: fashion advertising. And the recession is making it worse.

"[Italian Vogue] made some noise, but, unfortunately, we are the same as before," she said. "People, in the panic of the recession, don't dare to put a girl of color in their campaign, full stop. Nor of any other race. It's a shame. It's very sad."

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Supermodels: Where Are They Now?

In light of complains about the lack of black models on the runways in the U.S. and Europe, Black Voices honors our favorite supermodels. The following group of ladies (and one gent!) are some of the fiercest models to ever work the runway or pose for a photographer. Where are they now?

Ron Galella, WireImage

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Supermodels Then & Now

Before Naomi there was Naomi Sims who entered the fashion world in 1967. With her brown skin, gorgeous face and memorable walk, Sims quickly rose the ranks, appearing on the cover of Life magazine in 1969. She's often referred to as the first black supermodel.

Yale Joel, Time & Life Pictures / Getty Images

Although she had the potential for a long career, Sims gave up modeling to start her own wig business at the age of 24. Since then, Sims has written several books about beauty, modeling and success and launched her own cosmetics line, the Naomi Sims Collection. She died of cancer at the age of 61 in 2009.

Katy Winn, Corbis

In 1986, Kimora Lee Perkins's mother enrolled her uncommonly tall 11-year-old in modeling classes to boost her self-esteem. Just two years later, the girl we now know as Kimora Lee Simmons signed an exclusive modeling contract with Chanel in Paris becoming Karl Lagerfeld's muse by the age of 13.

Evan Agostini, Getty Images

After marrying hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, Kimora got out of modeling and into the design business, taking over as head of Baby Phat. Divorced from Simmons, with whom she has two daughters, Kimora now runs Baby Phat and the KLS collection, in addition to starring in a reality show and writing books. She recently had a baby boy with Oscar-nominated actor Djimon Hounsou.

Ray Tamarra, Getty

Veronica Webb was just a 20-year-old design student when she was "discovered" on the streets of New York City in 1985. The Detroit-native soon became a fixture in magazines and on the runway, making history by becoming the first African American model to sign an exclusive cosmetics contract (Revlon).

Kevin Hatt, Corbis

Officially retired from the runway, Webb has seamlessly transitioned from fashion to the worlds of television, movies and book publishing. Most recently, Webb co-hosted the first season of Bravo's 'Tim Gunn's Guide to Style.' She lives in the Florida Keys with her husband and two daughters.

Corbis Outline

Beverly Johnson, a champion-swimmer-turned-supermodel, is said to have graced more than 500 magazine covers in her long and storied career. The most famous cover of all? Her history-making 1974 Vogue cover. She was the first black woman to grace the cover of the American version of the magazine. She has said that by the age of 23, she was making more than $100,000 a year modeling.

Dirck Halstead, Getty Images

Beverly Johnson, now a youthful fifty-something, has completely conquered the hair biz with her extremely successful wig line. She's also the co-host of TV Land's 'She's Got the Look,' a modeling competition show for women 40 and older.

Matt Sayles, AP

While there is a laundry list of supermodels who have ruled the scene since the '60s, there are only a handful of male models -- of any race -- who can actually claim "super" status. Tyson Beckford is one of them. In 1991, at the age of 21, the New York-native got his modeling break when an editor from The Source spotted the looker at a NYC park. From there, Beckford went on to be the spokesmodel for Ralph Lauren Polo. The rest is history...

Jordan Smith, Corbis

No longer a mainstay in magazines or on the runway, Tyson is staying relevant in the fashion world through his hosting gig on Bravo's 'Make Me A Supermodel.'

Dave Hogan, Getty Images

Bethann Hardison, a legendary former model and modeling agent who has made diversity in fashion her mission, told Black Voices that Naomi is "absolutely right" about the advertising campaigns. But diversity on the runway, she said, has gotten better since she started hosting forums on the topic back in September of 2007.

"As far as designers saying things like 'no ethnics and no blacks' when it comes to casting? They don't say that anymore," she said. "A designer who may have had one girl of color in a show three or four years ago now has maybe two or three or five. It keeps growing -- you can see it. Some designers still haven't gotten past one or two. But before that they didn't have any."

Hardison made sure to add that just because things are better doesn't mean they're equal. In anticipation of New York Fashion Week, which starts Sept. 10, she and model Tyson Beckford recently hosted a mixer for casting agents and models of color. The point was to try to increase opportunities for non-white models who are still underrepresented in fashion shows. Hardison says she's thinking about throwing these mixers before every New York Fashion Week, because she still sees a need.

"I don't expect it to happen before I die," she said, "but I hope that the objective at some point is to never talk about diversity, because it's no longer an issue."

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