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French Vogue's Blackface Spread...
Posted by lotusb • 10/16/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: Vogue
French Vogue's latest issue is featuring a 14-page layout of a white model in full body and face black make up.
Do you think this is artistic expression?
Do you think this is offensive?
www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2009/10/14/french-vogues-blackface-shoot-isnt-hip...
User Comments
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Well first, I don't think the shots are particularly flattering - and I don't see any artistic expression in them. So I think I'd have to go with what in the hell were they thinking??? -
WTF? If they want to celebrate the beauty of black women, hire some beautiful women with dark skin!
I find that spread completely wrong. There are enough black models wanting work -- HIRE THEM! -
I personally dont think this even IS "black face". Black face was not just the practice of wearing dark make up for a photoshoot...it was painting it on as a mask (so that you could still see the white skin under), painting on big lips and dancing around acting like a "negro" and singing like one. THAT is offensive. This spread was just a dark spread and they chose to use dark make up for it. I think if we're going to get offended by this, maybe they should call tanning a violation of civil rights as well....
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I understand that this is different, and I would have less of a reaction if they had painted the models green or pink.
My point of view is just that there are struggling models out there who already look dark and beautiful. Why not use them? -
well that's the thing - she just looks ridiculous, number one. and because her "coloring" looks so - well, odd - it totally draws you away from the clothes that she's trying to model and makes you just wonder "geez - someone thought this looked good??"
maybe I'm just not sophisticated enough to appreciate the art of a high-fashion photo shoot. I don't know that I'm offended by it per se, I just think it looks ridiculous and defeats the purpose of showing off the clothing...that is what Vogue does, right? Show off fashion? LOL -
High fashion is not "nice outfits", it's art. And yes, if you look at the photos from the perspective of it not being "pretty" then of course it looks ridiculous. I look at it as a very interesting photo, a daring concept and some pretty fierce bead work.
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I think they did it for publicity -- knowing some people would be offended. It doesn't offend me at all and neither would it if it had been a black model painted white.-
Yes, because French Vogue is practically unknown...?
How about extreme tanning....is that offensive? -
The article said that readership was down (unless I read something wrong). As for extreme tanning, I personally think it is stupid, but doesn't offend me at all.
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Well I think referring to a magazine's readership being down is a huge bias. Magazines are constantly in up and down with their readership.
I'm not offended by the spread, but I am offended that so many people (in the media) are playing on a painful racial topic in order to bash it. Why not just say it's ugly if they don't like it, why make that stretch and compare it to something that is a FAR cry from what it is? U know what I mean?
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I don't find it offensive because couture is always so outrageous, anyway. But neither do I find beauty or interest in it as "art."
I would say the images don't really look intended to be black people, despite the choice of skin color. The images make her, in fact, not really look from this world.-
Thats what I was thinking, she looks a little alien...and to me it mutes her and makes the clothes stand out.
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She's actually very hard to look at. And with the white powdered wig head thing... it seems more like something out of Dune than anyone from Earth.
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LMAO!!!
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these are the ugliest black women I have ever seen!!!! -
Total euroTRASH! -
I don't understand the purpose of the black face.. is it a mockery of black people?? if they wanted black girls why didn't they hire black models?? -
I think it works only as controversy (and thus publicity).
As high fashion art, it doesn't work very well - an alien look that draws attention to the clothes, or neat concept, maybe, but why that color? And, as lotusb points out, it doesn't succeed as "black face" either. A black model with no body paint wouldn't have worked either.
Like Vogue didn't think this through?!? -
It is French and they offend me, so...
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this spray-on tanning is getting out of hand! -
I clicked on the link. No photograph, just someone's blog going blah blah blah
So no comments-
If you click on this link, the second sentence provides a link to the photos. The blah, blah explains the magazine's article. -
Hmm.. Reminds me of the other case where Microsoft photoshopped a black gent's face but got caught because they forgot about his hand
But both these cases are outside the States. Corporations will do what they feel is required for any market. You want to tie them down, control them? then why not be a socialist
However, the hue and cry is a good sign, at least where it is due. Is it due here? Perhaps yes, because it will force corporations to rethink their stategy
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wow, things are certainly different, in Paris.. They gave no racial divides.. this is most evident walking the streets from my experience.. -
I would have guessed black people would be offended by this. It's actually a relief to hear that a black person is not offended by something - and I don't mean any offense by that; I just feel like white people walk on eggshells because of things racist jerks have said/done.
Would it be offensive if the photo shoot was of black women in white makeup?
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