L'Officiel Hommes' Latest Issue Dedicated to Arthur Sales Marred in Controversy Over Blackface Photos

Menswear magazine L'Officiel Hommes under fire for white models, including Arthur Sales, in blackface in "Keep It Goin' Louder" photo shoot.

Arthur Sales in blackface in latest issue of  L'Officiel Hommes magazine

First French Vogue created ripples with its October issue, when it featured Lara Stone in blackface. The backlash was huge. You would think the French would backtrack from that fanning the flames of controversy, but no. French menswear magazine L'Officiel Hommes just did the same exact shoot with a bunch of white male models in its "Keep It Goin’ Louder" spread. It's surprising, to say the least, that after all the furor the blackface pictures in French Vogue caused, L'Officiel Hommes would even dare to take the risk. Milan Vukmirovic was the photographer. The issue was dedicated to a significant career highlight in the life of Arthur Sales, but this honor is tainted with controversy -- blackface.

Sorry, but these photographs are demeaning on so many levels. First of all, the French didn't commit the same atrocities against blacks as American history has shown us, still, the publication, or any other for that matter, shouldn't play dress-up with the identity of others. When you step into that realm, you are walking a fine line between being daring and being plain racist.