Leomie Anderson in Wonderland Magazine, September 2011!

Leomie Anderson is photographed here, "Sundays Best", by Vicky Trombetta in the September issue of Wonderland magazine. She was also styled by Julia Sarr-Jamois. Nice. Enjoy.

Source: Models

Leomie Anderson Speaks About Racism In Fashion!

I came across a letter written by one of my favourite models, Leomie Anderson, to Sunday Times UK. As much as I know there is definitely racism in fashion, her letter just pin points a lot of deeper issues that give rise to the racism; I think these issues should be dealt with rather than the topic of racism in fashion in general. Although things like this may make people hate white people more, its important that people know about things like this and know it's not every white person that is racist LOL, so don't get angry.

Jokes apart, it is a sad issue though and only if people realise that black beauty is different but so beautiful and so needed in fashion (that they have no idea), then things would change to a degree. I do recognise a comment she made about not having "african features" that I don't agree with; black people are very diverse and just because you are not very dark or you don't have a wide nose doesn't mean you don't have "african features", so that I don't agree with. Anyway, lastly, it is important to love yourself and compare yourself to no other because God created you individually for a reason. Here is her letter:

"I have been working as a model for more than three years. I’ve been photographed for Italian Vogue, Dazed & Confused and ID. I’ve modelled at Paris, New York and London Fashion Weeks, but I haven’t done Milan Fashion Week. I’ve heard from other black models that it’s much harder to get work in Milan. The successful black girls don’t even bother travelling there for castings, because they know they won’t do as well, even if they’ve walked for great designers in all the other cities. Even people from Milan will say that the fashion market there is very behind. They’d rather stick with what they know.
I’ve only had one racist comment made directly at me. I’d gone to a casting for a London fashion designer, I can’t say who. They just said: “We only want pale-skinned girls to be in our show.” To be honest, I didn’t feel emotional about it. I just thought: “Well, it’s not my fault. That’s their opinion. They are out of date, and in time, they’ll have to change; they can’t continue with that perspective.”

When I started at Premier Models, Carole [White, the founder] warned me that some designers would have outdated views, and that it’s not personal. Annie [Wil­shaw, her booker at Premier] is bored with it: she says black girls have to work twice as hard to get picked up. Actually, it made me feel better that they raised the issue with me, that they weren’t awkward about it. And Annie is right: it is a lot harder for us. If a show uses 20 girls, there’ll only be space for two ethnic minorities — if that. There’s nothing to stop a fashion designer using only white girls in a show. There’s no union representation for models, and a designer can do whatever works for them.

Even though it may not be right, fashion portrays what people want to be; it reflects society, it’s the world we live in The preference for white skin seems to happen especially if a designer has been in the industry for a long time. But it’s a generalised mentality among fashion houses — they used to have mostly white customers, so it made sense to have white models, but now there are many more eastern Europeans, Asians and women from the Middle East buying fashion. The houses are struggling to adjust to the new market. It’s also possibly recession-related. In any time of rapid social change, people stick to what they know, and in fashion that’s the white girl.

“Shadeism” definitely exists: there are different attitudes to different shades of black. Lighter-skinned models are used more than darker-skinned ones, and if darker models are used, it tends to be for a traditional African look.

When designers create an African or tribal print, they’ll get a black girl to model it. I’d say I was in the middle of the spectrum — I’m dark-skinned, but I don’t have traditional African features, so I tend not to be stereotyped. There can also be problems with hair and make-up. Hair stylists never pack black hair products, because they don’t expect to see black girls. They can be scared to work with our hair. I wouldn’t call it racism; it’s just that finding real black hair is rare. Make-up is improving — girls such as Jourdan Dunn and Ajak doing well has helped — but sometimes, when my make-up is finished, it doesn’t look as nice as it does on white skin. They don’t know how to adjust to our skin tone.
You’ll find bitchy models, but it’s not because of race, it’s just their personality. I’ve never had any comments that have made me feel uncomfortable. Once you’ve got the job, everyone just behaves normally. I read about James Brown’s comments. [He repeatedly called the black presenter Ben Douglas a nigger and his female companion a nigger’s bitch, following the Baftas ceremony.] Maybe he was trying to be funny, but using that word is not cool, and it’s pretty out of date to find it funny. I’ve actually met James Brown — he was nice and asked me about my mother. He didn’t seem racist to me. When people are drunk, they say things they don’t mean. Things always go wrong when people aren’t in their right mind. Especially if you’re in the public eye, you’ll always get caught out. And if you’re in the public eye, you have a responsibility not to offend.

Even though it may not be right, fashion portrays what people want to be; it reflects society, it’s the world we live in. The idea of fashion looking better on white skin is associated with an old sense of elitism, yet society has become much more diverse. In time, I think fashion will change.

Fashion is always outrageous, though, and famously politically incorrect. The bitchiness is part of that outrageousness. If fashion stuck to the rules, it wouldn’t be such a big industry. Even if racism went away completely, they would find something else to be outrageous about. I would like to see fashion be more open and less prejudiced to different ethnicities, but it is the way it is because it’s such an exclusive world. Its exclusivity is why people want to be in it. If fashion had a broader perspective of beauty, would there be such a thing as a supermodel?

As it is now, if a black girl does well, it’s seen as more of an achievement. That’s what drives me to succeed. I don’t think talking about racism in fashion will change anything. Even if fashion changes, it’s not going to change the world. I’d rather just have a positive attitude. If I were feeling discriminated against, I might go into a casting thinking I’m not going to get this job. It’s negativity that will disadvantage me."

Source: The Ybf

Leomie Anderson in Evening Standard, May 2011!

I am begining to love Leomie Anderson as I'm seeing more and more of her work. Here she features in an editorial in the Evening Standard shot by Amy Gawtkin and styled by Orsolya Szabo. Very nice; the contrast of both the models skin colour/tone is rather intriguing in this. Enjoy.

Source: Evening Standard

Leomie Anderson, Sedene Blake and Nina Porter in Another Magazine, Spring/Summer 2011!

Leomie, Sedene and Nina appear in an editorial in the S/S 2011 issue of Another Magazine, which was shot by Gareth McConnell. Interesting and nice. Enjoy.

Source: Models

Leomie Anderson in The Saturday Times!

Leomie Anderson graces some of the pages of the latest issue of The Saturday Times magazine in "How To Wear Flares", which was shot by Matthew Shave rather beautifully. Enjoy.

Source: Premier Blog

Leomie Anderson in Dazed & Confused, January 2011!

The beautiful Leomie featured in an editorial entitled "Candy Girl" in the January issue of Dazed & Confused shot by Andrea Spotorno and styled by Joanna Schlenzka. Nice. Enjoy.

Source: Models

Leomie Anderson in Vogue Italia, March 2011!

Beautiful model Leomie Anderson, appears in Vogue Suggestions in the March issue of Vogue Italia shot by Phil Poynter. I really like the concept and photography of the editorial, and love it even more due to Leomie's presence. Very nice. Enjoy.

Source: Lab Daily | Fashion Blog

Leomie Anderson for Emanuel Ungaro Pre-Fall 2011 Collection!

The beautiful Leomie Anderson, who I just got to know not too long ago, models for the pre-fall 2011 collection of Emanuel Ungaro. There are many things I lik about her; her long legs that I saw when she was on the runway for the S/S 2011 collection of Marc by Marc Jacobs show, her complexion, her kuli hair, and her face...everything really, lol. She was interviewed by a friend of mine on her blog, check it out:
http://dollyscrapbook.blogspot.com/2011/01/introducing-to-you-leomie-anderson.html
Enjoy!

Source: Z Fashion Blog

Leomie Anderson in Marie Claire UK, December 2010!

A model called Leomie Anderson, is featured in an editorial called 'It's Party Time', for the current issue of Marie Claire UK. I think these shots and the model herself are beautiful. I'm going to be looking out more for her now. Enjoy!

Source: Fashion Copious
Photographer: Selvie Benoit