The media has been abuzz about the July issue of Italian Vogue which will feature over 150 pages dedicated exclusively to black models and stories about successful black entertainers and performers. Famed photographer Steven Meisel -- you may remember him from his Naked Madonna days -- was selected by Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani to shoot the issue.

The issue will feature new faces like Jourdan Dunn alongside famed beauties like Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell and Alek Wek. Sozzani says she was inspired by Barrack Obama's historic presidential campaign. Her intention was to spark conversations about race, and to demonstrate that there is more to beauty than blond, blue eyed Russian models.



These efforts not withstanding, diversity on the runway is still an issue, as we've discussed here before. In Paris this week all of the models at the couture shows will be white. Designers claimed it was a supply and demand issue. They complained that there just aren't any models of color to be found.

Well, we call shenanigans on that argument. Vogue Italia found an entire issue's-worth of black models. In the gallery, some of the faces you will see in that issue, although we know they're not in Paris right now.