The fashion world has long been criticised for its lack of diversity. Some firms are already making product changes as the Black Lives Matter protests about systemic racism sparked by the killing of Black people by police in the United States highlight issues related to race.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell, who during a 34-year career was the first Black model to appear on the covers of French Vogue and Time magazine, said she believed there would be more opportunities for Black people as designers, stylists and make up artists.
Worldwide protests about the treatment of Black people will alter the global fashion and beauty industries by creating job opportunities and products catering for a broader range of consumers, model Naomi Campbell told Reuters in an interview.
“Now the whole world is on the same page. The voices are coming out now... and I look at that with optimism that we will get our change,” she said.
The model also said companies were likely to expand their cosmetics ranges to match more skin tones.
“We spend a lot of money. We are big consumers,” said Campbell, referring to the opportunities for businesses.
Earlier this month Band-Aid, owned by Johnson & Johnson, said it would launch a range of bandages to match a variety of skin tones. The company also decided to stop selling some Neutrogena and Clean & Clear products, advertised as dark-spot reducers in Asia and the Middle East.
On Saturday, French cosmetics giant L’Oreal announced it was removing words like “whitening” from its products, against the backdrop of global anti-racism protests.
In a statement the company said, “The L’Oréal Group has decided to remove the words white/whitening, fair/fairness, light/lightening from all its skin evening products.”
In India, where sales of Fair & Lovely creams constitute 40% of the face care category, will be rebranded and sold after dropping the word ‘fair’ from its over four-decade-old skin care brand.
Naomi Campbell is also said to have proposed that there should be a Vogue Africa two years ago. While speaking with Reuters, the model said that she had “come to understand that Conde Nast are working on bringing a Vogue Africa”.
Citing conversations with people at Conde Nast, she said it was being “looked into to be developed” before the killing of George Floyd by police sparked worldwide protests.
On her widely popular YouTube live show, No Filter With Naomi, the model invites guests and discusses important issues pertaining to social justice, race, gender and sex equality and its effect on world citizens. On the latest episode, Campbell spoke about the treatment of people of colour in the arts, fashion, and entertainment industries with her guests Bethann Hardison (Model and Activist), Cleo Wade (Artist, Activist, Poet and Author) and Tyler Mitchell (Photographer, Creative Director).
Naomi began her super successful modelling career when she was 15 years old. The model turns 50 this year and as an international supermodel, activist and philanthropist, has been a source of inspiration for women around the world. She credits her ever-youthful looks to her Ethiopian roots.
-- with inputs from Reuters and AFP
