On the 19th April 2010 an American site Red Vinyl Shoes posted an article called “Where My Sistas At? The Underrepresentation of Black Plus Size Models in Mainstream Fashion” The article begins by highlighting the fact that there is a lack of black models in mainstream publications which is even more noticeable in the world of ‘fatshion’.
The writer, Tasha Fierce, believes that there is a popular misconception that fat is more acceptable in a black community. She believes however this not to be true, “As the inimitable Sir Mix-A-Lot stated, “When a girl walks in with an itty-bitty waist and a round thing [booty] in your face, you get sprung.” (emphasis supplied) There is definitely a line between acceptable fat and unacceptable fat.”
She continues that the way fat is treated in the black community only reflects how fat is treated in mainstream culture and fashion. A curvy fat is far more acceptable and “it’s clear the main shade of acceptable curvy is white.” This is evident as many glossy magazines have been featuring curvy plus size models yet only one of these models in Glamour magazine was black. There are many black plus size models and there is evidence on blogs that it is fat black women who are interested in fashion and main contributers to the huge revenue generated in the plus size fashion market. Indeed, one of the first and most popular plus size blogs, Young Fat and Fabulous, is run by a black woman.
It is evident then that the plus size industry which is being driven by plus size black female consumers and bloggers is not being adequately represented by plus size black models. Tasha believes it is because black straight size models are not used on runways and fashion spreads. “If thin blackness is unwelcome, imagine a double-whammy of fat blackness. Since black women’s bodies tend to have an exaggeratedly feminine shape, it could be the tendency of fashion designers to pick androgynous shapes to model their clothes. Plus size white models don’t usually have a very exaggerated sexualized shape.”
Tasha believes that until the straight size world fully accepts their black models, black plus size models are unlikely to achieve any more success than their thin sisters.
It will hopefully be because of pressure and the driving force of plus size fashion blogs such as Young Fat and Fabulous, Musings of a Fatshionista, and Fatshionable that things will begin to change and we see an increase of black plus size models in magazines and on the catwalk.
Tasha concludes “it will only be solved if we continually critique the fashion establishment and in the case of fat fashion, unpack the privilege that white plus size models (and white plus size women) enjoy at this point. Until the facts of the situation are laid bare, no work can be done to change it.”
Are attitudes the same in the UK? Is the UK black community represented by black plus size models in the glossy magazines? What do you think?
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