My Life in Culture: Irish director John Kelly
My Life in Culture: Irish director John Kelly

Sarah Finnan

The trouser trends coming to your wardrobe this spring
The trouser trends coming to your wardrobe this spring

Sinead Keenan

Madigan Cashmere: ‘We’d like to be remembered as the maker of garments that bore witness to lives well-lived’
Madigan Cashmere: ‘We’d like to be remembered as the maker of garments that bore witness...

Sarah Finnan

The best office bags, according to the IMAGE staffers
The best office bags, according to the IMAGE staffers

Sarah Gill

BIIRD: ‘Trad music has stood the test of time, it’s bigger than all of us and it never will die’
BIIRD: ‘Trad music has stood the test of time, it’s bigger than all of us...

Sarah Gill

The IMAGE Mother’s Day Gift Guide
The IMAGE Mother’s Day Gift Guide

IMAGE

Søstrene Grene’s Easter collection is making us excited for spring
Søstrene Grene’s Easter collection is making us excited for spring

Megan Burns

5 signs your relationship has run its course, according to a therapist
5 signs your relationship has run its course, according to a therapist

IMAGE

10 Paddy’s weekend events happening around Ireland
10 Paddy’s weekend events happening around Ireland

Sarah Gill

The Girl with the Needle: Denmark’s Oscars entry is a masterpiece of atmosphere
The Girl with the Needle: Denmark’s Oscars entry is a masterpiece of atmosphere

Sarah Finnan

Image / Beauty

British Model Hits Back At “Unprepared” Make-Up Artists


By Jennifer McShane
18th Feb 2016

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 10: Model Leomie Anderson attends the 2015 Victoria's Secret Fashion After Party at TAO Downtown on November 10, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret)

British Model Hits Back At “Unprepared” Make-Up Artists

British model Leomie Anderson has spoken out about how ill-equipped she feels many make-up artists are to properly work with darker skin. The model has appeared on the catwalk several times during New York Fashion Week, and took to social media to express her disappointment in the lack of diversity in the industry, particularly when it comes to beauty.

“It’s not fair that there aren’t as many hairdressers or make-up artists that are confident doing all races to a professional standard,” Anderson commented on Instagram. “We shouldn’t have to feel worried sitting in the chair of a professional that we may not look our best when doing our jobs, unlike our white counterparts.”

She was also vocal on Twitter, stressing the need for change both on the runways and behind the scenes.

“Of course I get given to the makeup artist who had ONE brown foundation she was trying to mix with white on a sly because she’s not equipped,” she tweeted. “Why is it that the black makeup artists are busy with blonde white girls and slaying their makeup and I have to supply my own foundation?”

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 10: Model Leomie Anderson from The United Kingdom walks the runway during the 2015 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at Lexington Avenue Armory on November 10, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 10: Model Leomie Anderson from The United Kingdom walks the runway during the 2015 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.?

At this stage, the diversity problem in the fashion industry surprises no one,?but the statistics suggest that the problem isn’t going away anytime soon. During the Spring 2016 shows, The Fashion Spot reported that out of the 373 shows and 9,926 models who walked the runways of New York, London, Paris, and Milan fashion week, 77.6% were white.

Speaking her mind is nothing new to Anderson, who has called out the industry on its lack of diversity before. She writes a blog entitled The Cracked China Cup, frequently sharing her views on similar topics.

She joins the ranks of fellow models Jourdan Dunn and Brandee Brown, who have all been vocal about the lack of resources available for models of colour in the industry.