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Italian Vogue and Mr. Meisel Turn the Tables

Posted by: Rachel Hulin Posted date: June 19, 2008 | 3 Comments

The Times is running a piece today on Italian Vogue’s July issue, which was shot by Steven Meisel and will include exclusively black models:

“In a reverse of the
general pattern of fashion magazines, all the faces are black, and all
the feature topics are related to black women in the arts and
entertainment. Mr. Meisel was given roughly 100 pages for his pictures.
The issue will be on European newsstands next Thursday and in the
United States soon after.

Under its editor, Franca Sozzani, Italian Vogue has gained a reputation
for being more about art and ideas than commerce. Ms. Sozzani also
doesn’t mind controversy.

She said that, as an Italian, she has been intrigued by the American
presidential race and Mr. Obama, which was one source of inspiration
when she and Mr. Meisel began discussing, in February, the idea of an
all-black issue. Also, she was aware of the lack of diversity on the
runways in recent years and the debate it fueled last fall in New York,
where Bethann Hardison, a former model who ran a successful agency,
held two panel discussions on the topic.

Ms. Sozzani said the issue was not a response to criticism that she,
too, has under-represented blacks or portrayed them as stereotypes.”

If these images are any indication, Meisel has hit this one out of the park. And right on the heels of that Eva Mendes feature; fabulous!

All text is excerpted from the Times piece:

The four pictures that Ms. Campbell was supposed to make turned into
20. She also appears on the fold-out cover, along with Ms. Kebede,
Sessilee Lopez and Ms. Dunn. “Franca doesn’t realize what she’s done
for people of color,” Ms. Campbell said the other day. “It reminds me
of Yves using all the black models.” She was referring to Yves Saint
Laurent, who, like Gianni Versace and a handful of other designers,
routinely cast minorities.

Having worked at one time with nearly all the models he chose for the
black issue — Iman, Ms. Campbell, Tyra Banks, Jourdan Dunn, Ms. Kebede,
Ms. Wek, Pat Cleveland, Karen Alexander — Mr. Meisel had his own
feelings. “I thought, it’s ridiculous, this discrimination,” said Mr.
Meisel, speaking by phone from his home in Los Angeles. “It’s so crazy
to live in such a narrow, narrow place. Age, weight, sexuality, race –
every kind of prejudice.”

He began casting in March. “I love the history of fashion, obviously,
and I love old, and I tried to get as many of the older girls as I
could,” he said. Over Ms. Sozzani’s initial objections, he also hired
Toccara Jones, a full-figure model, who became known from “America’s
Next Top Model.” “I wanted to say something about weight, and I’m never
allowed to do that,” he said. “I met Toccara and thought, she’s
beautiful. What’s the deal with her? She’s great and she’s sexy.”

If these pictures have a heightened sense of glamour, it probably has
something to do with the atmosphere of a Meisel shoot. According to Ms.
Webb, “it’s the darkest studio, like a studio at MGM.”

There are fans and reflectors; many assistants. An area is marked
“Hair” and another “Makeup.” (Pat McGrath did all the makeup for the
issue, and Guido Palau did the hair.) A mirror is placed behind Mr.
Meisel, so the model can see herself.

“It’s a dark world,” Ms. Webb said, “and you’re in the spotlight.”

About the author

Rachel Hulin

3 Comments

chimper 6-19-2008

This set of pictures by Steven are wonderful. Beautiful lighting on everyone.

AdultFriendFinder 11-21-2008

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Sexy Glamour Pictures 12-28-2009

Sexy Glamour Pictures

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