16 Sep 2013

Naomi Campbell: fashion industry ‘guilty of racist acts’

Exclusive: British supermodel Naomi Campbell tells Channel 4 News that black models face greater discrimination than when she joined the industry 27 years ago.

The supermodel, along with fashion activist Bethann Hardison and model Iman Abdulmajid, has launched a campaign to highlight the lack of black and Asian models in fashion catwalk shows.

Ms Campbell told Channel 4 News: “What we are asking for is that you are based on your talent, on your beauty, not on the colour of your skin.

“We feel passionate [about this]. Feeling passionate about something doesn’t mean you have to be angry.”

I’m saying the act of not choosing models of colour, is racist – Naomi Campbell

When asked if she was accusing the industry of being racist, Ms Campbell said: “I’m saying the act of not choosing models of colour, is racist. We’re not calling them racist, we’re saying the act was racist.”

The supermodel made the comments ahead of London Fashion Week which starts on Monday.

She added: “I think that London will do the right thing and we’re going to see a lot more models of colour on the runway.”

Watch the full interview on the programme tonight at 7pm.