Dame Vivienne Westwood has slammed fashion magazines for being racist and demands that editors should be forced to use black models in their pages.
The outspoken fashion designer is the latest industry legend to shout about race equality in fashion. Naomi Campbell accused magazines of being racist earlier this year.
Speaking to the telegraph, Westwood recalled a conversation she had recently with a magazine editor; "She said that what you always have to have on a magazine cover is a face, that is what sells the magazine, and she told me that you could not put a black person on there because sales halve."
"They have to be prepared to take a drop every now and again and then people would get used to it and think, 'I should buy this magazine because there is a beautiful black girl on it'," she continued.
Westwood also described Naomi Campbell as the 'most beautiful girl' however she has only appeared on the cover of Vogue 8 times compared to Kate Moss's 24.
This summer Naomi vowed to set up her own modelling agency in Kenya to help battle the lack of black models being used in fashion.
"Black models are being sidelined by the major modelling agencies, she said at the time, It is a pity that people dont appreciate black beauty."
The 37 year old is planning to visit Narobi to search out model talent and help them make a name for themselves in the industry.
"I dont want to quit modelling until I find that black models get equal prominence and recognition by the world media and information instruments she added.
There is a growing ethnic diversity, but its not happening quite as fast as was predicted, said Storm director Simon Chambers to The Telegraph.
None the less we do expect the very best black boys and girls in the industry to reach the highest echelons of modelling - like Naomi and Alek have done," he added.
Caz Moss- Female First
my blog
Tagged in Vivienne Westwood