French Vogue Blackface Photo Spread Sparks Outrage

I heard about the French Vogue blackface spread yesterday and I shrugged it off as nothing more than a publicity stunt, but then I started visiting some other sites and I realized that it has sparked an outrage. The problem is controversy is nothing new for the French Vogue, but this time it may have walked into the lion's den, so to speak. The magazine recently published photos of supposedly pregnant models puffing cigarettes and leather-clad glamazons kissing with blood pouring from their mouths, which was an outrage, in my opinion. This time, however, they have insulted even the most dedicated followers of fashion. In its October edition are features pictures of Dutch model Lara Stone in which the naturally pale-skinned blonde's face and body are painted black.

The photo shoot was styled by the magazine's long-time editor, Carine Roitfeld and had sparked outrage as its subject spread through internet forums and fashion websites. Sorry, but this is cultural insensitivity and should not be taken lightly. It amounts to nothing more than painting a white person's face black for pure entertainment and it is offensive. Given the history of blackface minstrel shows in the United States, this is insulting on so many levels. These shows were used to denigrate blacks and make them appear as buffoons and bumbling idiots. Even if the magazine's intent was not a racist one, it is just downright tacky.

French Vogue said the magazine was unaware of any controversy. Just last week Harry Connick Jr. expressed outrage during an Australian variety show skit in which the "Jackson Jive" parodied a song of the Jackson Five in blackface. The host, Daryl Somers, had to issue an apology immediately.

The French Vogue's 13-page shoot shows Stone painted black in four of the pictures; in all she is styled to look suitably "ethnic," with accessories including a silk fringed headscarf and a black feathered headdress, just in case the message of black skin equals exotic otherness was too subtle. So, if they were going for the "black" look, why didn't they just use a black model? There are many out there who would have been ideal for the photo shoot. No, they wanted to push the envelope and this time French Vogue pushed it too far. Shameful and tasteless.