British model and Victoria’s Secret Angel, Leomie Anderson has been a regular at Fashion Weeks for seasons now, but as London Fashion Week launched at the end of last week, the beauty took to social media to call out makeup artists backstage who were il-equipt to work with her hair or complexion.
The stunner, who also blogs about her modelling experience and style, Tweeted;
“Why is it that the black make-up artists are busy with blonde, white girls and slaying their make-up and I have to supply my own foundation?
Why are there more white make-up artists backstage than black when black ones can do all races’ make-up?”
On the subject of hair, Leomie revealed;
“It’s takes, on average, 4 non black hairdressers to inspect a weave. For a ponytail.
This is probably the first season that a white hairdresser hasn’t said to me ‘Oh I’ve done Naomi Campbell’s weave, I know what I’m doing.'”
When the story was picked up by the press, Ms Anderson acknowledged the media storm with thanks and commented on her Instagram page;
“We shouldn’t have to feel worried sitting in the chair of a professional that we may not look our best when doing our jobs, unlike our white counterparts.”
READ MORE: NYKHOR PAUL CALLS TELLS THE FASHION INDUSTRY “STOP DISRESPECTING MY RACE”
The model joins fellow professionals like Jourdan Dunn and Sudanese star Nykhor Paul, who famously took to her Instagram page to highlight the same issue, calling out the industry’s lack of attention and professionalism in catering to models of colour.
Team SPICE feel more models need to raise such issues – especially when all eyes are looking to the industry during Fashion Week season – and will keep our eyes out for a response from the professionals who work with stars like Leomie Anderson backstage, for their thoughts on colleagues who are underprepared and il-equipped to work with black and ethnic models.
Image source: Vogue.co.uk, @i_D
