Kanye West and Pharrell at Louis Vuitton S/S 09 show
It hasn't been since the days of Josephine Baker and Nina Simone's entrée to Paris has France seen the arrival of some of America's hottest African-American entertainers. The Fall/Winter 08/09 Haute Couture Fashion Week was held there last week and more than a few brown faces were in attendance: music icon Janet Jackson and boyfriend Jermaine Dupri as well as Grammy winner Kanye West and Louis Vuitton poster boy/jewelry designer/music producer Pharell. Jackson and Dupri attended the couture shows for Christian Lacroix, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Christian Dior as did actresses Eva Mendes and Liv Tyler (The Strangers, Iron Man). Mendes popped in stunning pink with bejeweled neckline at Dior and Kerry Washington attended Armani Prive' (that's Giorgio Armani to you fashion newbies) wearing a dress by the label. Not a bad move for a chick from the Bronx.
West attended Lanvin and Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 09 shows. There, he told reporters he's designing a men's shoe line for the luxury brand which will come out this fall as well his women's clothing line Pastelle, independently from this deal. "I'm here for Louis. I grew up with the Louis look, you know", said West. "I just love the style." At Lanvin, he delivered nerd chic in a pair of large black optical frames. Jackson too jumoed on the delebrity bandwagon (designer celebrity) she told reporters in Milan she's currently developing a lingerie line which she hopes will arrive in stores this fall.
Will you support delebrities Janet and Kanye wwhen they release their fashion colections?
Jackson has been raising her fashion profile after attending the Alexander McQueen store opening in Los Angeles and Mens Fashion Week in Milan last month where she attended the Versace show that was inspired by Barack Obama. Sitting front row is impressive feat considering it's a spot not usually reserved for African-Americans. Vogue Editor-At-Large Andre Leon Talley is one of the very few. (Oh, and America's Next Top Model judge/runway trainer Miss Jay, if you count him being backstage teaching the models a thing or two about how to work that catwalk.) This past February West was declined invitations from several French designers including Balenciaga, a story that was written about in the New York Times. Regardless of his success, it was noted that he was still wasn't a 'good look' for him to be there. And last week Gaultier's PR reps expressed dismay over the lack of Black models available to walk the show for them.
Rather than go on about the incessant discrimination in the fashion industry take a sneak pic at two pics released that will be in the upcoming, highly anticipated Black Girls issue from VOGUE ITALIA. It is expected to arrive stateside this week. With that, we give a nod to Italy, nee' France.
Kanye at Lanvin
Janet with Donatelle and daughter Allegra Versace at Uomo Vogue 40th Anniversary party in Milan
With Jermaine Dupri at Versace Menswear show in Milan
Arriving at Jean-Paul Gaultier Couture show in Paris
Janet & Jermaine arriving at Christian Dior
Kerry Washington at Armani Prive'
Eva Mendes at Dior
Model Jourdan Dunn for VOGUE ITALIA
Naomi Campbell for VOGUE ITALIA
1. Hopefully, the Vogue Italia Black Issue will be a catalyst for greater diversity on the runway and in the fashion industry.
Fashion models of color news headlines and video clips:
http://netpressions.com/web/modelsandfashion.cfm
MrMellow at 7:38PM on Aug 4th 2008