Naomi Campbell Breaks Racial Boundaries As First Black Model On Cover
In a groundbreaking moment in fashion history, supermodel Naomi Campbell became the first black model to appear on the cover of American Vogue’s coveted September issue in 1989.
Traditionally the year’s biggest and most influential issue, the September cover spotlights the pinnacle of fashion and is highly sought after.
However, according to Campbell, 53, she initially had “no idea” about the immense barriers editor-in-chief Anna Wintour had to overcome to secure her pioneering spot. “I didn’t know how hard she had to fight for it until after I saw The September Issue,” Campbell revealed in an interview with CNN Style.
Wintour Faces Backlash In Fight For Diversity
The September Issue, a 2009 documentary chronicling Wintour’s production of the 2007 September issue, threw more light no the intense opposition within the fashion industry towards putting a black model on the cover.
“Anna gave me such a great opportunity and I had no idea how much she had to fight for that,” Campbell acknowledged. With Wintour firmly backing her choice, Campbell broke through racial prejudices that were firmly entrenched within the glamour industry.
Campbell No Stranger To Battling Discrimination
Indeed, Campbell was no stranger to fighting racial barriers even before her history-making September cover. She was also the first black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue in 1988, after pioneering designer Yves Saint Laurent threatened to withdraw advertising if the magazine refused.
“There have been some challenges, absolutely, but I have found a way to get around those challenges. I don’t accept ‘nos’,” declared Campbell on conquering discrimination in her decades-long modeling career.
Supermodel Urges Greater Diversity
Now roughly 30 years in fashion, Campbell speaks about the need for equal minority representation.
“I didn’t work all these years for it to be a trend,” she asserted. “That’s one of the things that keeps me wanting to work. I can’t duck out yet; I feel I still have to represent.”
While acknowledging the prejudice she has faced, Campbell refuses to label it simply as racism. “I never use that word ‘racism’, I find it a cliché word and I don’t want to use it as an excuse,” she reasoned.
Nonetheless, her decades of boundary-breaking triumphs underscore the profound impact a single model can have in advancing diversity. As Campbell continues to urge greater inclusion, her own career-defining victory on Vogue’s September cover remains a landmark moment against discrimination.
