MODELS DYED BLACK

Just two weeks ago, Vogue Paris stirred up controversy for coloring Lara Stone’s skin into a dark, nearly black tan for an editorial photographed by Steven Klein.
 


It’s a misstep on Carine’s part that the spread is linked with racism.  If they would like to feature a black model for a supermodel issue, they could get Naomi or Liya at any time. However, there is not a single black model in this issue.

But seeing this from an artistic perspective, they are probably trying to do something different with Lara because she already had one entire issue dedicated to her, and therefore a fresher, newer look had to be used for Lara’s future spreads if they were to feature her again and again - something team Vogue Paris loves to do. For example, she went brunette for the September main story.



Darkening a model’s skin tone is one of Steven Klein’s trademarks. Remember this Vogue US 2008 September issue spread he shot, where Caroline Trentini was dyed black?

And check out the power model twins Donna and Gwen Loos in a spread together for Dutch Glamour (not by Klein, though). Donna (or Gwen?) is in black.

Depending on how people see it, colouring a model’s skin tone is quite a risky thing to do these days, no?
 

Article excerpted from rockthetrend.com