Wow I've been seeing this Italian Vogue popping up and around in alot of places for awhile now but I have as yet ascertained what exactly my stance on the issue can even be right now. Yeah let me try and spell it out and eventually my head and consciousness will realign their communication skills. Man I hate when they get out of sync!
There is a sense of exoticism in these magazines but i have experienced that in everyday life by merely interacting daily with people of many races.
And do I not too find myself in a mind state of "other" when I not only praise but continue the cycle of cultural generalizations that occur when I discuss such idiosyncrasies such as japanophiling, etc? I'm not sure if the right word for that is racism and it may be that the right word doesn't exist in the English language.
There is a humanity in looking at people, subjects, and ideas outside of our daily realm that causes us to generally step back and I'm not sure if its question, overexamine, or what but it IS different. I find a lot of arguments for the unresolved racist issues lie in erasing our differences. It isn't possible. In fact I would say its undesirable. We are all different. The focus and quality of those differences are what I find to be painful.
But then I have to also look at this from another point of view which is for couture their driving audience and customers are in their own vicious, illogical cycle. Most of the people rich enough to afford the clothing don't have(will never have) the body type subscribed by the catwalk but try to fit in that mold. Those meager few who do fit the mold usually cannot afford the clothes...I think we need to understand that we are not dealing with a rational utopian infrastructure ready to move as one toward change. Using more environmentally friendly materials, less child labour...those are still processes being overcome. Besides a word in the designers defense: most are with the illusion of wealth and the reality of debt. Nonrefundable fabric for clothing that may not sell doesnt come cheap. The skinniest "hanger" (most models, even supermodels, are nonentities in the grand scheme of things) is the most cost effective choice.
Is Italian Vogue's Black Edition mocking the efforts of change with a subtle nonracism or is it part of the solution? Can the editors control the creative intents of its photographers and writers or the design industry itself? Who knows?
And that was the end of my piece but on a quick sidenote: This is the first time Vogue has ever sold out of an issue and had to call for a reprint. Hmm, I guess that adage about women of colour not selling to the "market" were pretty off base.
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