Interview on Ethnic Models
Tyler Wright interviews Connie Constance on Ethnic Models in the industry... Working as model do you feel you have ever been casted for your skin colour? All the time, most of the castings I attend are filled with models of the same skin colour or of a similar ethnicity, so therefore about 8/10 times I am casted on the colour of my skin. Have you ever been to a shoot/casting and felt like you was casted for the basis of your skin tone? Yes definitely, for example both times that I have shot for JD sports there has been two white models male and female and then two mixed raced models male and female. In my views I felt like this was a way to make the brand look approachable to a wider ethnic audience. Therefore I don't believe the models were cast for their individual looks but more so for the future outlook of the brand What's your own view on ethnic models within the industry is their a lack or too many? I think in current years we are starting to see more and more ethnic models, however I definitely feel like there is a lack, and this may be because there isn't as much work for ethnic models yet. Do you believe the fashion world plays on racial stereotypes? Definitely, Ethnic models are more likely to get more street wear brands lower market campaigns which I feel comes from the stereotype of black, working class, ghetto, hip hop, rough, gangsta etc. whereas Caucasian models are more likely to get more expensive brands which plays of the white, rich, British/American idea. In your own opinion why do you think we see less ethnic models within the catwalks and magazines? Catwalk wise I think this is to do with branding for each designers collections, lots of designers like to go with the classic white model with mosey brown hair. And in a way this could be a way of trying to bring more attention to the clothes and less attention to the model. Like wise with magazines, it depends who they are trying to reach out to, we would see more if there were more magazines that reach out to all ethnic backgrounds, working class people aswell as middle and upper class people.