Black is beautiful, but that doesn’t mean local black models are getting assignments, finds Hazel Friedman
BLACK might be beautiful and local downright lekker, but in the ramp ‘n vamp world of modeldom, black is black, local is local, and rarely the twain do meet. While most of the white beaus and babes gracing the pages of glossy fashion magazines and catalogues have Made In South Africa stamped on their designer bodies, the vast majority of their black counterparts are clearly imported goods.
Take, for example, the latest Woolworths holiday fashion catalogue. Among the mainly local, blonde beauties, it includes three models, all of whom are black, bold and beautiful. But Kell-Anne and Oris of Direct Models hail from New York and Rodney of Max is British. Mere coincidence, or the symptom of an ironic form of racism practised by an industry controlled by whites which prefers overseas pickings to the home-grown brand?
In this skin-deep and unavoidably cut-throat world, discrimination neons are flashing and talons have been bared in what fashion insiders describe as the South African catwalk
The battle lines were drawn last year during a television chat show, when local models’ rights activist, Yusuf Asmal, went for the jugular of Suzie Jordan, editor of Femme magazine – and South Africa’s self-styled queen of the nip-and-tuck – over the racist attitude of modelling agencies and magazines towards local black models. Baring crimson nails, Jordan said many black models were simply not up to scratch.
But local black models disagree. A Gauteng model, who requested anonymity because he fears victimisation, complains that when he was first ”discovered” by his agency, he was promised the world. ”But now the agencies are getting pre-packaged goods from overseas, they are taking the easy way out financially and ethically.”
Efforts to launch a union have failed because black models fear being blacklisted. Only Nama (the National Modelling Association), which is controlled by the agencies, offers a forum for debate within the industry.
”Each modelling agency in South Africa is allowed only 15 international models on its books and the ratio of locals to overseas models must be three to one,” says Nama secretary Jenny Gordon, co-director of Ashwins model agency. In terms of a recent Nama ”consultative committee” decision, South African agencies are entitled to one ”find” – an inexperienced model plucked from surrounding African countries – per year. At stake is an indeterminable ”look” which cannot be found in South African models. But as many ”bookers” admit, ultimately it’s up to the client. If an overseas model is requested for an assignment, ”the look” becomes irrelevant to agencies seeking to maintain and expand their client base.
‘In the past, because the buying power of the black market was limited, South African models were mainly white,” explains Heather Stadler, co-director, with Gordon, of Ashwins. ”But the need for black models has grown enormously. South Africa has naturally become an attractive location for black models from all over the world who, in most cases, are more experienced than their local counterparts.”
Stadler points out that all local modelling agencies have a sizeable percentage of local black models on their books, many of whom have been beauty pageant contenders and winners.
”In the last year, the local standard has increased incredibly. That’s partly because black models tend to regard modelling more as a career than whites, who see it as a sideline pursuit or a launching pad to greater things. While in Gauteng the trend is more towards using local black models, in Cape Town, where many of the agencies are based and the clients are often international companies, the preference is for professionalism and an overseas
Says Stephanie Sharp of G3: ”These days the look is black American – broad, rugged and brawny – as opposed to the more chiselled look from Europe. During the season, models from all over the world gravitate to Cape Town. Inevitably the competition tightens. But modelling is an international career and South African models have been protected for far too long.”
”There are no boundaries, other than height and that special quality that separates the average from a supermodel. You don’t find international models bitching about unfair competition from South Africans who give it a shot overseas,” says Lexie Chait of
Says Stadler: ”Some of our models live in remote areas so we try to help them get to casting sessions and assignments on time. We also help them develop a professional portfolio, the costs of which we deduct from their pay, once the jobs start rolling in.”
‘We encourage newcomers to accompany our more experienced models to casting sessions and assignments,” says Chait. ”But we can’t provide modelling courses. We simply don’t have the time.”
”That’s where international models can play a constructive role”, says Gordon. ”Local models learn by example.”
Says Michelle Mackintosh of Direct models, which has signed two of the three models in the Woolworths catalogue: ”Both Kell-anne and Oris are utterly professional. They are not just beautiful faces, sitting around waiting for assignments to come to them. They do the legwork. Unfortunately many South African models
But Mackintosh acknowledges not enough is being done to help develop the confidence and potential of local black models. Lapsing into RDP-speak, she says: ”We owe it to our disadvantaged communities to help develop their potential but, unfortunately, many agencies are indifferent. Each year, Direct organises a Miss Sactwu competition among all the clothing factories in South Africa. We select 55 coloured girls and show them the modellng ropes. But whether they succeed or not as professionals is up to
Predictably perhaps, in a skin-deep industry, local black models stand a better chance of scoring in cosmetic commercials and television ads for local products than their foreign counterparts. Fashion insiders explain this in terms of a ”buy South Africa” ethic. But ultimately, as one insider explains, modelling is not about colour or country. It’s about putting one’s mouth (and other body parts) where the money usually is. Metaphorically, speaking of course.