FASHION: Top 10 Black Models at New York Fashion Week > Okayafrica

Prêt-À-Poundo:

Top 10 Black Models

at New York Fashion Week


*Model to watch: Sudanese Mari Agory/ Photography: Phillip Ritchie

 

Fashionistas flocked to New York for the Fall collections shows and presentations of New York Fashion Week. This year proved to be another hit for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, which featured over 90 designers at the prestigious Lincoln Center and there was many other shows across the city like Harlem Fashion Row featuring designers of color. While some designers appeared to be more creative than others, you could not discuss the fashion minds’ engagement with the event. As an integral part of showcasing their beautiful pieces in motion, onlookers couldn’t help but admire the beauty and stillness of the models.

Models of color, whatever their ethnic background or lightness/darkness, were present during New York Fashion Week. They continued their blistering run of form during this special week by taking the stage by storm in small numbers. However, it’s always sad to observe that across almost 4500 models hired during NYFW 17% were models of color and only 6% of them were black models. The debate has been running for a longtime and unfortunately the numbers show a permanent lack of representation of models of color. To cut a long story short: there’s still a lot of work to do. That is why we decided to take some time off complaining about it and celebrate the models of color that worked NYFW. Browse our Top 10 Black Models who got the best exposure during New York Fashion Week below!

1 MARIA BORGES – Angola – 18 shows

NYFW MODEL Maria Borges Pret-a-PoundoNYFW MODEL Maria Borges For Custo Barcelona Pret-a-Poundo

*Maria Borges Portrait and Maria Borges for Custo Barcelona (source: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week)

 

2 GRACE MAHARY – Canada – 17 shows

NYFW MODEL Grace Mahary Pret-a-PoundoModel Grace Mahary Suno Fall 13 Prêt-À-Poundo
*Grace Mahary Portrait and Grace Mahary for Suno (source: Reuters)

 

 

3 CORA EMMANUEL – Martinique – 13 shows

NYFW MODEL Cora Emmanuel Pret-a-PoundoNYFW MODEL Cora Emmanuel for Diane Von Furstenberg Pret-a-Poundo
*Cora Emmanuel Portrait and Cora Emmanuel for Diane Von Furstenberg (source: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week)

 

 

4 JOURDAN DUNN – United Kingdom

NYFW Model Jourdan Dunn Pret-a-PoundoNYFW MODEL Jourdan Dunn for Trina Turk Pret-a-Poundo
*Jourdan Dunn Portrait and Jourdan Dunn for Trina Turk (source: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week)

 

 

5 MELODIE MONROSE – Martinique

NYFW MODEL Melodie Monrose Pret-a-PoundoNYFW MODEL Melodie Monrose for Badgley Mischka Pret-a-Poundo
*Melodie Monrose Portrait and Melodie Monrose for Badgley Mischka (source: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week)

 

 

6 LEOMIE ANDERSON – United Kingdom

NYFW MODEL Leomie Anderson Pret-a-PoundoNYFW MODEL Leomie Anderson for KaufmanFranco Pret-a-Poundo
*Leomie Anderson Portrait and Leomie Anderson for Kaufman Franco (source: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week)

 

 

7 MARIHENNY RIVERA PASIBLE – Dominican Republic

NYFW MODEL Marihenny Rivera PasibleNYFW MODEL Marihenny Rivera Pasible for Nicole Miller Pret-a-Poundo
*Marihenny Rivera Pasible Portrait and for Nicole Miller (source: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week)

 

 

8 AJAK DENG – Sudan

NYFW MODEL Ajak Deng Pret-a-PoundoNYFW Model Ajak Deng for Jeremy Scott Pret-a-Poundo
*Ajak Deng Portrait and for Jeremy Scott (source: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week)

 

 

9 SHARAM DINIZ – Angola/Portugal

Model Sharam Diniz Black and White Prêt-À-PoundoNYFW Model Sharam Diniz for Dennis Basso Pret-a-Poundo
*Sharam Diniz Portrait and for Dennis Basso (source: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week)

 

 

10a GEORGIE BADDIEL – Burkina Faso

NYFW Model Georgie Baddiel Pret-a-PoundoNYFW Model Georgie Baddiel for Brandon Sun Pret-a-Poundo
*Georgie Baddiel Portrait and for Brandon Sun (source: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week)

 

 

10b NYKHOR PAUL – Sudan

NYFW Nykhor Paul Pret-a-PoundoNYFW Nykhor Paul for Costello Tagliapietra Pret-a-Poundo

*Nykhor Paul Portrait and for Costello Tagilapietra (source: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week)