Black Top Model Redid Her Own Makeup And Hair 10 Minutes Before Walking The Runway Because The Makeup Artists Failed
Model Leomie Anderson was first scouted when she was just 14, walking home from school in south London. At 17, Anderson was already walking for Marc Jacobs. Since then, she has built an impressive portfolio and even became the first Black British Victoriaâs Secret Angel.
But despite all of her accolades and achievements and the fact that itâs 2021, Andersonâs career is still affected by her race.
A week ago, the model uploaded a video to her social media, revealing her experience at a runway show where the glam team was so ill-equipped to work with her skin tone and hair type that she had to do it herself.
More info: Instagram | TikTok | Twitter
28-year-old model and fashion entrepreneur Leomie Anderson was first scouted when she was just 14
Image credits: leomieanderson
Everything happened during the Christian Cowan runway show at New York Fashion Week last month.
First, a makeup artist applied a foundation that really didnât fit the model and if that wasnât enough, another artist failed to rectify it. Anderson explained she âfelt ugly AFâ and redid her own face in 10 minutes before stepping on the podium.
The recording also captured how her hair was roughly handled until a team of three hairstylists descended to dry and style it.
The experience left Anderson feeling that she âwanted to go home,â and she pleaded for fashion houses to hire more black hair and makeup artists so nobody would have to go through this again.
But despite her impressive resume and the fact that itâs 2021, her career is still affected by her race
Recently, Anderson shared a video with her online followers to show that âbeing a black model is doing other peopleâs jobs and not being paid for the extra workâ
Andersonâs clip has racked up over 3 million combined views on TikTok and Twitter
@leomieandersonAnd this is why I carry a full makeup kit wherever I go for work #blackmodel#modellife#modeltok#blackmakeup#fyp#leomieanderson⏠Monkeys Spinning Monkeys â Kevin MacLeod
The whole ordeal reminded me of what model and filmmaker Adesuwa Aighewi shared with Vogue in a talk on racism and privilege in the industry.
âItâs funny how, like, thereâs different realities as a model,â she said. â Like, if you were not a black model, you just get to be a model, get to be sexy, get to be on yachts, get to do whatever it is that you wanna do, and be carefree. If youâre a black model, all of a sudden, youâre the pioneer for your race.â
Model Londone Myers shared a similar experience at Paris Fashion Week in 2017, and the hashtag #BlackModelsMatter created by model Ashley Chew routinely highlights what black models have to deal with in their line of work.
However, according to a diversity analysis by the Fashion Spot, last monthâs New York Fashion Week Spring 2022 was the second-most-diverse season on record with 55.5% models of color. But even though the Christian Cowan runway show featured an array of models from different ethnicities and featuring various body types, the issues raised by Anderson make it obvious that thereâs still room for improvement within the business.
And sadly, it isnât an anomaly
Image credits: leomieanderson
Image credits: leomieanderson
As others responded to it with more similar stories
People think the fashion industry needs to do better
697Kviews
Share on FacebookExplore more of these tags
One commenter had a great point: "they don't teach colour theory for dark skin because it 'isn't common' ". I mean come on. What year are we living in?! If they are teaching colour theory for skin it should be baseline all tones, so even if you don't need the skills often, you have them and can brush up on what you've already learned how to do đ€·ââïž Edit: the same thing should be applied to hair stylists who are students, being taught the full range. It's clearly needed on both fronts
I've heard that modern cosmetology schools offer training on all hair types, but a bit of training in school doesn't make a person an expert. And a model at Fashion Week definitely wants an expert!
Load More Replies...Honestly, I'd say this is mostly not the makeup artist's fault. It's the fault of a system that only teaches them how to do straight hair and light skin.
Agree, it's the fault of the organisers of these events. If you are booking black models, you should be making sure that you also book the makeup artists who are able to cater to them, it's in your own interest that they look good! Doing this would also build demand for the skills and lead to upskilling of existing makeup artists to fill the roles
Load More Replies...One commenter had a great point: "they don't teach colour theory for dark skin because it 'isn't common' ". I mean come on. What year are we living in?! If they are teaching colour theory for skin it should be baseline all tones, so even if you don't need the skills often, you have them and can brush up on what you've already learned how to do đ€·ââïž Edit: the same thing should be applied to hair stylists who are students, being taught the full range. It's clearly needed on both fronts
I've heard that modern cosmetology schools offer training on all hair types, but a bit of training in school doesn't make a person an expert. And a model at Fashion Week definitely wants an expert!
Load More Replies...Honestly, I'd say this is mostly not the makeup artist's fault. It's the fault of a system that only teaches them how to do straight hair and light skin.
Agree, it's the fault of the organisers of these events. If you are booking black models, you should be making sure that you also book the makeup artists who are able to cater to them, it's in your own interest that they look good! Doing this would also build demand for the skills and lead to upskilling of existing makeup artists to fill the roles
Load More Replies...




























108
87