Model Jourdan Dunn has opened up about experiencing racism in the fashion industry, social media usage, and her young son in a new interview.
Dunn became the first black model to walk in a Prada runway show in 10 years when walked for the brand during Milan Fashion Week in 2008.
The London-based model spoke to British Vogue for the magazine's November cover story and opened up about her 12 year career in the fashion industry.
In February 2008, only her second season as a professional model, Dunn said, “London's not a white city, so why should our catwalks be so white?” She has continued to be outspoken on the issue throughout her career.
“I just said what was on my mind,” she told Vogue. “I did start feeling like a lone voice because I felt like, ‘I’m being vocal and my peers are being silent.’ I was like, ‘I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Why am I the only one? You’re going through the same thing. You look like me.”
She also discussed how social media has helped people speak their minds. “Everybody comes together and backs each other now. It’s not just one person. What I love about this generation is that everyone’s so fearless and everyone has a voice – people are not gonna let things slide anymore,” Dunn stated.
The model does see the positives of using social media but hasn’t let her son Riley, 9, have his own accounts yet. “He has asked me, and I said, ‘Absolutely not!’” she told Vogue. Dunn also no longer posts photos of Riley on her accounts now that he’s older. “It does have an effect on him. People noticing and recognising him. It can be a lot for him,” she said.
See the full feature in the November issue of British Vogue available via digital download and newsstands on Friday 4th October
