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Culture September 7, 2017
"Fashion is art, art is never racist."
South Sudanese model Nykhor Paul is the iconic model who slammed the fashion industry in an Instagram post exposing the racism she’s faced. In her post, she revealed how makeup artists ask her to bring her own makeup to shoots. On the other hand, white artists are provided with makeup.
She made the point that professional makeup artists refuse to make the effort to provide Black models with beauty tools. This in part due to the lack of Black models in the industry.
“Don’t try to make me feel bad because I am blue black its 2015. Go to Mac, Bobbi Brown, Makeup forever, Iman cosmetic, black opal, even Lancôme and Clinique carried them plus so much more. There’s so much options our there for dark skin tones today,” Paul wrote.
In an interview with style.com, she elaborated on her post.
“I’ve been in this industry for a long time, so it wasn’t one thing that set it off,” Paul said about the reason that prompted her Instagram post. “It’s been a constant battle. Dealing with all the make-up issues, skin issues, hair issues, it makes you feel inadequate, especially when you’ve come to work geared up and ready to do your job as a mannequin. This is not just something I’m going through – a lot of girls are going through this,” Paul said.
Paul is the former face of Louis Vuitton and a Vivienne Westwood model. So, she noted people need to expand their views of a Black model’s range. Paul stated Black beauty can be Chanel, Dior and Lancome and “clients can have a narrow definition of beauty.”
Paul spoke for many women of color in the industry who face the same issues. She has also spoken up about other serious topics before. As a refugee from Sudan, she partnered with the International Rescue Committee to bring awareness of the plight of refugees to the public.
Paul put her photos on exhibit at a New York Fashion Week pop up hosted by the IRC. At the pop-up, she talked about her experience in Ethiopia.
In an interview with So Fetch Daily, Paul explained she always knew she wanted to help people. And we’re so grateful for her efforts to speak up for oppressed communities such a Black models and refugees.
Her Instagram shone a light on the racism and cultural appropriation in the modeling industry.
“Fashion is art, art is never racist it should be inclusive of all not only white people, shit we started fashion in Africa and you modernize and copy it! Why can’t we be part of fashion fully and equally?”
An important step towards progression and inclusion in our society is speaking up about important issues like Paul did.
