Naomi Campbell is the latest supermodel to discuss the lack of diversity in the fashion industry that is heavily influenced by the Black community.
Campbell made an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, and she weighed in on Anna Wintour’s apology for not taking the responsibility of hiring more Black creatives.
“It can’t be easy to be a Black employee at Vogue, and there are too few of you,” the Vogue Editor-in-Chief wrote. “I want to start by acknowledging your feelings and expressing my empathy towards what so many of you are going through: sadness, hurt, and anger too. I want to say this especially to the Black members of our team — I can only imagine what these days have been like. But I also know that the hurt, and violence, and injustice we’re seeing and talking about have been around for a long time. Recognizing it and doing something about it is overdue. I want to say plainly that I know Vogue has not found enough ways to elevate and give space to Black editors, writers, photographers, designers and other creators. We have made mistakes too, publishing images or stories that have been hurtful or intolerant. I take full responsibility for those mistakes.”
Cohen asked Naomi what are her thoughts on the topic and she’s hopeful that change is coming. “I think things are about to change don’t you? I think if there’s things are about to change. I mean you know, everyone would used to think that it you liked being the token person token black person in the room it’s absolutely the opposite.”
Naomi Campbell continued saying the change needs to also be made on an executive level. “I never did and, it needs to change from the boardroom to the seats. It needs to go from the from the right from the top through, because it’s then you don’t then it’s you know, I’ve been saying this for years and so I’m truly grateful and happy finally this is happening the way that it’s had to come out for people to lose their lives. It’s very sad and you know, my condolences to each and every one of those victims of parents of those people that have gone, but this is where we this had to happen this change had to happen.”
Check out the full conversation below:
