A History of Racism in Fashion

Fashion is fun, except when it's cruel and intolerant. Take a look at some of the industry's lowest points.

Not Available Lead
Image via Complex Original
Not Available Lead

We know what you're asking: The fashion industry is racist? No way! Fully 20% of the models at New York Fashion Week are people of color, and since 20% of the world's population is people of color, and... Wait, what's that you say? The world isn't 80% white? Don't you watch television? 

OK, we digress. Of course the fashion industry is racist. Any institution that's been around since loin cloths will have had its share of ignorant and racist moments. What may surprise you is how many of the fashion industry's racist moments are of recent vintage.

Yes, we've got a black president (and he and his family introduced the era of "black classiness"—or so says French Elle), but fashion still has plenty of WTF moments. So wrap that African print scarf around your neck, don your Native American headdress, and let's take a walk down not-so-fond memory lane with our History of Racism in the Fashion Industry.

The Black Dandy

Not Available Interstitial

Vogue Magazine Covers Are 99 Percent White

Not Available Interstitial

The Zoot Suit Riots

Not Available Interstitial

Van Heusen "Witch Doctor" Ad

Not Available Interstitial

The Ebony Fashion Fair

Not Available Interstitial

Vogue Magazine's First Black Cover Model

Not Available Interstitial

Naomi Sims Deemed "Too Dark" For Modeling

Not Available Interstitial

Boot Lace Color Codes

Not Available Interstitial

Iman Gets "Discovered"

Not Available Interstitial

Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks Are Forced Into A Rivalry

Not Available Interstitial

Eddie Bauer Racial Profiling

Not Available Interstitial

Alek Wek Is Used As Espresso In Coffee Calender

Not Available Interstitial

The Lonsdale Youth

Not Available Interstitial

Japan's Ganguro Girls

Not Available Interstitial

Elite Modeling Management Racial Slurs Caught On Tape

Not Available Interstitial

Abercrombie & Fitch "Two Wongs Make It White" Shirt

Not Available Interstitial

The Harajuku Girls

Not Available Interstitial

Details "Gay or Asian"

Not Available Interstitial

LeBron James Vogue Cover

Not Available Interstitial

Protest Calls for Sao Paolo Fashion Week Race Quota

Not Available Interstitial

Harper's Bazaar Naomi Campbell Baboon Jumprope

Not Available Interstitial

Karl Lagerfeld Puts Claudia Schiffer In Yellow And Black Face

Not Available Interstitial

Baker Skateboards "Gooks of Hazzard" T-Shirt

Not Available Interstitial

Guerlain Makes Racist Comments on TV

Not Available Interstitial

Nivea "Re-Civilize Yourself" Ad Campaign

Not Available Interstitial

Rihanna VS Jackie Magazine

Not Available Interstitial

Italian Vogue's "Slave Earrings"

Not Available Interstitial

Harmony Korine Makes A Crazy Short Film For Proenza Schouler

Not Available Interstitial

Proenza Schouler enlisted art-house filmmaker Harmony Korine to make a film promoting their fall 2011 line, inspired by Native Americans they had encountered traveling the Southwest. The resulting film, "Snowballs," consists of two women in creepy Indian masks and headdresses with bows running around to a haunting song about them liking to find shit and mimicking tribal dances and hanging out with an old fat white dude. The message is supposedly to "open your worldview" but the video makes it seem as if the filmmaker's own is quite narrow. Making an art-house joke out of the struggle and genocide committed against Native Americans is worse than unfunny. 

John Galliano's Racist Rant

Not Available Interstitial

Bond No. 9 Racial Profiling Lawsuit

Not Available Interstitial

America's Next Top Model's Pocahontas Episode

Not Available Interstitial

Bayo Philippines Race Mixing Ads

Not Available Interstitial

French Elle Says The Obama Family Created Black Classiness

Not Available Interstitial

Latest in Style