This blackface shoot is especially offensive to me given that fashion magazines went through a period recently of using very white, fair models exclusively, and had to be shamed to start featuring black and African American models again, as they had in the seventies and eighties. What were they thinking this would communicate, given fashion's recent "whiteout"?

ignorance is still alive and well.

@ charles Carmen

Your comment is really offensive. Black people have wide noses, slim noses, big lips and thin lips and many other wonderful physical traits. If they wanted to represent someone with African or African American features, it’s not hard to find a model that has those features, including the dark skin.

And for those of you who “don’t get what the big deal is”: The big deal is that blackface was used to make fun of black people. Because of this, the picture is teasing people with dark skin and “funny” features, as it says in the article. It basically sends the message that blacks are not good enough so we will paint someone and that will give us what we want. I find it horrifying.

The magazine and the people who don’t get it should be embarrassed. I am embarrassed for you. Pathetic.

when I saw this on facebook, I couldn't believe it was happening now. It's a cheap shot be Vogue to generate headlines and sales. I hope people boycott Vogue for this. It just says the only beautiful black model is a white one! It's offensive, ugly and shows the whole organisation to be full off bigotts and fools.
akua

I don't understand the big deal about the pictures. Being blk myself, I don't see anything racist. I see the pictures as being artistic. The same thing was done on ANTM a few years ago.
Nothing was said about it. Recently on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Nene wanted Kim to take a photo doing the same thing. No big deal. The photos I've seen show her looking like a different race.
Remember our history people. A lot of artist went to Europe,because they could be artist there, when they couldn't do that here. Cultures that truly saw their beauty and talents and embraced it.

How is this in any way acceptable? Why not just use a black model? This is not celebrating anything but an ignorant person’s malformed mind.
This is a big deal because of the way black face was used to degrade people of my grandmother’s generation. IT IS NOT ART. Yes, I am black but to let any of you know, I would not celebrate a black person in white face or pretending to be Asian. It is insulting.
The thought that every African-American blames Whites for slavery is absurd. That is like saying every White person is prejudice. I don’t blame any White person for Slavery, but, I will not ignore the impact it has had on my race and culture. Would you ignore your history?
Vogue enjoy the money you have received from me because you won’t get another dime.

Oh Come on! No one complained about racism when 'White Chicks' came out - So blacks can dress in white makeup and no one says a word but as soon as whites dress in black makeup its racist? You cant complain about one without complaining about the other. Hypocrisy is a vicious cycle.

I have never seen White Chicks because of the reasons I listed above. It was a stupid, vile concept and just like I won’t give Vogue my money I didn’t spend a dime on White Chicks. I did write a comment in the opinion section about the movie. What is interesting is the majority of people who saw it were white. I should say the majority of people I know.

Blackface was used for the purpose of ridicule and humilation ... that was its sole purpose. It was and remains offensive due to its nature ... if the text translation is correct, and the purpose was to make a statement about the fashion industry and its use of twig-like models, the publishers failed. To truly make a statement, use a plus-size model (12, 14, 16 - although in America 12 isn't plus, it's average) and show her in all her sexy glory. A size 4 model in black face does nothing to make a statement and the message is lost.

Big Deal! Where was all the politically correct faux-outrage when Robert Downey Jr. played a black guy in the movie Tropic Thunder? He was also sprayed with dark make-up, his lips were artificially enlarged, he wore a kinky-haired wig and spoke with the classic black colloquialism voice. THAT was someone making fun of blacks, but it was OK because Hollywood is immune from allegations of racism because they create TV shows and movies written and produced by white guys who think black people will watch them.

Now for clarification: If anyone who was hysterical about this would have done their research they would have clearly seen the difference between the dark brown make-up or the tint and what "black face" really is. Blackface was truly black make-up across the face with the eyes outlined in white and the lips covered with bright red make-up to make the whole face gaudy and humorous to look at. It was never used in an ethnocentric way nor were any of the performances deliberately racially biased to make fun of Negroes back then.

Al Jolson was world famous for his "Mammy" act. He enjoyed performing in blackface makeup – a theatrical convention in the early 20th century. With his unique and dynamic style of singing black music, like jazz and blues, he was later credited with single-handedly introducing African-American music to white audiences.[1] As early as 1911 he became known for fighting against anti-black discrimination on Broadway. Jolson's well-known theatrics and his promotion of equality on Broadway helped pave the way for many black performers, playwrights, and songwriters, including Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, and Ethel Waters.

So-called public figures need to find the courage to speak out and say "enough!" with the all thing black is offensive mentality. The only purpose it serves is to keep racial tensions high and money flowing into the coffers of the elected bigots like Maxine Waters and Rita Walters and the Congressional Black Caucus who are supposed to represent an entire district, but instead spend an inordinate amount of time and money trying to convince uneducated and uninformed that the sole goal of white people is to keep black people down. People like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and the other rich bigots are making millions of dollars a year spewing hate and fear, yet no one seems to be catching on to that. Vogue did nothing wrong, but they did create a very interesting layout.

I think black is beautiful. I think it's paying honor to dark colored women. I think the pictures are beautiful and look strong and confident. I think it's a beautiful peice of art. I think we should show more pictures of racial beautiful. I wouldn't care if they showed a black woman in white face. But that wouldn't be a problem and wouldn't sell magazine would it? I think it's time to drop the whole racism thing now really! remember we have a president of color voted for by all races. It takes someone so beautiful to hurt your feelings, really?? After all the bad stuff blacks indured over the decades I wouldn't have thought something like this wouldn't matter.

get over it its Art.

Lighten up folks. I've seen a lot of "artistic" photo shoots that don't appeal to me including this one. The fact that we are talking about it probably means the magazine got the reaction they were looking for.

Now we all know this is offensive. Since the economy is going bad these so called fashionista magazines will do anything to drum up media publicity. Whether bad or good and bad media spreads like wild fire. The bottom line is money. All of us African "gene" people lets stop buying those magazines and purchase "Black
Enterprise", "Ebony", "Essence", "Haute", "Arise", True Love", "Helm". Black Designers please start using more African "gene" models. Nothing against the snow whites but "Change Has Come"!

We know that black is beautiful but if French Vogue thought so.... why not consider a black model to grace the cover?

I think blackface is as racest as a black person who dyes their hair blond. Think about it and do something constructive with you time and grow up people.

What kills me is that they don't want BLACK models in their elite fashion clubs..but they are quick to do blackface. JUST HIRE SOME DAMN BLACK MODELS! WTF???

I don't see what the fuss is all about. Al Jolsen made a career out of this....Mammy!

Being black myself, I see nothing wrong with the pictures. She not dressed like back in the days when blackface was all about really dark skin with big lips and nappy hair. She was just painted a color. If jet mag or ebony did a spread with a black person dressed as a white person there wouldn't be an issue. If everyone is trying to see pass color why are we focusing on the color of her skin and not the clothes.