Blog: Colonial Vogue

Vogue India launched with Australian Gemma Ward on the cover

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All-black Italian Vogue recently came out as a response to the raging debate about racism in the fashion industry. A bit of a token, faddy gesture, but I  bought it all the same, wanting to help put to rest those rumours that black model covers don't sell.

However, now that I've had a look at it, I'm even more annoyed. There was not one single Indian model in this issue. So even within 'black' where absurdly, 'black' means 'any woman of colour,' Indian models don't make the grade either. A little investigation brought to light that there is an Indian supermodel called Ujjwala Raut, the only successful Indian runway model in the US. Why wasn't she used? 

Another stunner called Lakshmi was the star of the recent Hermes campaign to launch in India....where was she? 

Naturally this is an issue close to my heart, as sadly I have NEVER seen an Indian model in a Western fashion magazine. I would probably melt with excitement if there was any girl whose beauty type I could aspire/relate to. Aishwarya Rai in the L'Oreal ads is the closest and she is obscenely white-washed, all traces of race extinguished.

Even more insulting is the fact that when Vogue India launched, they used Australian Gemma Ward (blonde with blue eyes) flanked by two Indian models.  Like unnecessary side kicks, it was a kick to the stomach of a nation (and it's diaspora) that Vogue is supposedly trying to court.

It's outrageous that the world's most influential fashion title is allowed to continually perpetuate the colonial stemmed viewpoint that Caucasian beauty is superior.

It clearly isn't. If it was, India wouldn't have won Miss World more times than any other country!