The world of fashion is as ever-changing as it is influential. Although it has its stigmas and stereotypes, the industry is responsible for catapulting the careers of young hopefuls who are bursting at the seams with eagerness and potential. In the African-American community, however, excelling in the fashion industry is noticed more often than not due to the fact that black models hardly get the same exposure as their white counterparts. Therefore when they are brought to the forefront, we pay attention.
Black models often draw the attention of casting agents when being considered for campaigns and brands that seek models who possess what the industry considers the “exotic” look. This refers to the opposite of the very Eurocentric physical standards that the fashion industry has generally subscribed to throughout its history. To some, the term holds no weight–might be flattering even, but to others this only limits black people to physical features and strips us of our humanity. Something black people experience frequently irregardless of profession.
Black people are the most genetically diverse people on the planet, yes. There is beauty to be recognized in this fact alone. However the term "exotic" is more suitable for an object, be it a plant or animal.
Only a select few black models are able to excel through the ranks and achieve global acclaim, and even fewer of these models are men. For example, the only black male model to make Vogue’s 2014 list of Top Male Models of All Time is, of course, Tyson Beckford – whose ethnic background were as appealing as his looks. Men of color such as Adonis Bosso (26, Ivory Coast), Sherman Braithwaite (23, Brazil) and Broderick Hunter are a few examples of the surge of black male models rising to the top of their careers.
Photo: Fabian Morassut
A quick Google search of the phrase "male supermodel" reveals what is already known: aside from images of black and Irish supermodel Rob Evans and Tyson Beckford scattered among the results, the white standard of high ranks among male models is shown. We've all heard the phrase "token black" when referring to one black person being the spokesperson for his or her race among white counterparts. This is something I've even experienced as a writer–having expectations of representing my entire race placed on me as if I satisfy a quota.
As for the latter of three aforementioned fresh black faces on the scene, Broderick Hunter launched his career about five years ago, after being discovered by a photographer as a college basketball player. Entering the fashion industry with no experience or initial desire to model, Hunter learned quickly that alongside the perks of keeping a good rapport with agents, casting directors, and a blossoming fan base, modeling can be quite a difficult career path.
While sharing his perspective on the standards that men of color in the industry are held to, Broderick was open and honest based on his own experiences.
“I'm going to stand out way more than I blend in. That's something that can either work with me or against me at times, but it’s harder regardless due to the fact that the lighter you are, the less ‘threatening’ you come off in this industry,” says Hunter, 26. “It's slowly changing because there are more and more people of darker color making advances and it's exciting to see.”
While women require a lot more work to be done onset, according to Broderick, the experience between both genders are not too different. There are, in fact, some hair and makeup artists who do not necessarily know how to work with black models. Supermodel Naomi Campbell has spoken out before about inadequate styling for black models. For Broderick, who is also a barber and at most times does his own hair to avoid awkward on-set run-ins, his experience inspired him to start doing hair tutorials for black men on his YouTube channel.
"I have been on numerous sets where people [hair and makeup] would deliberately avoid me because I was out of their comfort zone. I've also shot with photographers for A-list caliber fashion magazine editorials that didn't even know how to light me because I'm dark-skinned… To be considered a professional in this business, in my opinion, you should know how to work with EVERYONE, not just people within your comfort zone or preference."
Broderick, who is of Nigerian heritage, has been seen in Philipp Plein, Sean John and Ralph Lauren ads. He’s been on the pages of top-tier publications like GQ and Vogue. He’s even played Ciara’s love interest for her "Sorry" music video. Social media, as mentioned before, plays a pivotal role in keeping the fire burning for models of color. Over the span of his career in the spotlight, being in a well-known magazine was a black model’s ticket to an accelerated career. Now, it takes that and some social media distribution for an audience to see and demand.
“To be one of the few black men working for blue chip clients really helped me stand out and also opened the door for others. Just like the black men in the industry before me. It's truly an honor.”
Black men in the fashion industry face some hardships parallel to black women, like the need to work twice as hard to be just as good. However, Hunter is one example of black excellence in the fashion industry whose secret is simply being himself. Defying the notion that being attractive is one hurdle these models face, and showing that there is someone with character underneath the surface is another. You can’t teach personality, Hunter says, it just comes with being organic.
Representation matters, for both black people in the spotlight and black people cheering in the audience. In the fashion industry, we hope to see our multifaceted and humble brothers and sisters taking charge simply by being who they are. Achieving beauty as we often see it is arguably impossible for many black people based on industry standards. We should continue to push for diversity in all of its iterations in order to break this mold, with plenty of focus on maintaining integrity alongside representation. Otherwise, it's just a numbers game.
