Model Leomie Anderson explains why Black makeup artists are necessary
Leomie Anderson exposed the realities of being a Black model during 2021 Fashion Week in a TikTok that had viewers outraged, but other Black models were not as surprised.
The 29-year-old British model is a Victoria’s Secret Angel and was featured on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list in 2020. She has been in the industry since she was a teenager, walking for brands like Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Tom Ford, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta. She has been the face of beauty brands like Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, Pat McGrath and Topshop.
But despite years of working in the industry and making a name for herself, Anderson still said that she has to carry her own makeup kit for shoots and shows.
“The realities of being a Black model during fashion week,” she wrote in the TikTok. “I asked who could do Black makeup. Why do I look like I work in the mines?”
Anderson then filmed herself wiping off some of the makeup, appearing to shake her head at someone off-camera.
Then Anderson filmed a team of three people blow-drying her hair “last minute.” Eventually, Anderson did her own makeup because the second attempt, as she put it, made her feel ugly.
“Redid my whole face in 10 minutes,” she said.
“Yes, I ate it up like I always do,” she wrote over footage of her runway walk. “But by the time I walked the runway, I wanted to go home. Please hire more Black hair and makeup artists so we don’t have to go through this.”
A report found that New York Fashion Week Spring 2022 was the second most diverse season on record and featured 55.5% models of color.
While the forefront of Fashion Week may be evolving, there’s still a major problem behind the scenes. In an essay for Glamour, model Winnie Harlow — one of the most recognizable models today — said that there is still a lack of inclusivity when it comes to hair and makeup artists.
“When it comes to inclusiveness, [the modeling industry] still has a lot of work to do,” Harlow said. “Just because you’ve worked on one Black person’s hair doesn’t mean you know all Black hair. If you’ve worked on Naomi Campbell, that’s not the same as working on kinky hair. There are so many people who are like, ‘Yeah! I’ve worked on a Black girl before. I know Black hair.’ And then they still reach for the tongs or use too high a heat.”
Hair plays a critical role in Black culture, which makes the lack of hiring knowledgeable hairstylists all the more disrespectful to models. Hairstyles have always played a role in Black history and are important in expressing identity, Dr. Myrna Lashley, an assistant professor at McGill University, wrote in a research paper.
The Black hair care industry is enormous as well, raking in trillions of dollars annually as Black consumers have progressively switched to buying products catering to them.
Products for Black hair and skin are out there, but this growth hasn’t been reflected in what makeup artists and hairstylists are being hired for backstage preparation.
“There have been many times where I’d have to touch up my hair and makeup backstage,” model Lameka Fox told Refinery29. “I’ve had hair and makeup artists get upset with me when that happens, but how can I feel good if I don’t look good? I have a job to do.”
Countless Black models have advocated for hiring more hair and makeup artists who understand Black skin and hair. Sometimes the repercussions of not knowing how to handle Black hair leaves long-lasting problems — Fox also told Refinery29 that she’s lost “a lot of hair” due to improper handling.
“I’ve worked in certain jobs and I’ll see an artist’s kit, and it’s literally just catered for white to light-skinned models,” makeup artist Zakiyah Shani told BuzzFeed News. “I just think that’s crazy that you’re so confident that you don’t even think you’ll encounter Black talent today.”
Without proper backstage staff, Black models are then subject to doing extra work in an already hectic situation.
“Being a Black model is doing other people’s jobs and not being paid for the extra work,” Anderson added on Twitter.
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