Shots Fired: Supermodel Naomi Campbell Says It’s Time For Models To “Take Back” Magazine Covers
We see them every day, magazine covers with beautiful faces lining newsstands across the globe. From ELLE to VOGUE and beyond, the faces that grace these magazine covers are everything they should be, they are successful, good-looking and well-known. The one thing these faces are not, however, is the faces of models.
We are long gone from the days when only models had the privilege of being seen on magazine covers. It was an honor bestowed on a select few, the elite, those who had earned the moment…supermodels. Today, models must fight for cover space with not only each other, but actors, actresses, rappers, singers and even a few average Joes. Basically, anyone and everyone who isn’t a model.
But Supermodel Naomi Campbell feels it’s time to change all that.
Naomi “I Got Legs For Days And Run Circles Around Chicks On Runways” Campbell, has long been celebrated for her history making moves in the fashion world. Recently Naomi sat down for an interview with Celebuzz to discuss her new reality show The Face and the current state of the modeling industry. During the interview Naomi let the world know that she feels it’s time for models to reclaim the print modeling industry, rather than just be a face on the fashion runway.
Naomi says:
“When I started modeling, there was a separation of girls that did shows and girls that did print. And my generation did both. That’s when it changed. Of course, we want the magazine covers back. Of course, we do. There are less covers for the girls out there who are the new, young, trendy girls. She’s got more to compete with and there are only a certain amount of covers they’re going to give a model a year. Before, you had models twelve months a year.”
As the executive producer of The Face, which premieres February 12th on Oxygen, Naomi hopes that the up and coming female models she features will usher in a new Supermodel Era and said her show definitely helps prepare them for that.
“I’m a tough love coach. I give encouragement and praise to my girls, but I also tell them when things are not right and they need to change them,” Campbell continued. “I don’t want to candy coat anything for them. They need to know the truth, because we’re not going to be there holding their hand when they go into the real world.”
I could care less. I think it’s time for both models and celebs to stop being propped up as the be-all end-all of beauty.
You mean you couldn’t care less.
Chika
I would go further and say: it’s time for women in general to stop being propped up as the be all and end all of beauty.
I don’t take my beauty in female form, I prefer my beauty to be a beautiful surprise.
I agree for fashion magazines such as “Vogue.” Keep emphasis on the fashion! Especially since it’s the same 5 celebrities on every cover of every magazine. But, then again, I’m not buying these magazines (most of them post their content on-line), so whatever sells more print.
@ Chika:
So very true. This just says to me, that models models have become passé in today’s world.
For too long, models have been the instruments used to dictate the standard of beauty (looks, size, shape, color, etc) to the world.
I’d nobody’s fault but your own, that you didn’t learn any other skill in life, aside from getting paid to look cute. We are living in a world, where looks are slowly becoming more & more subjective, & it sounds like Naomi is crying because she & those like her will eventually not have a place in that world.
As far as I’m concerned, they can do away with all the celebrities & Rappers too, especially if they are not relevant to the publication they are appearing on.
It’s high time that they use the regular people, who are the target audience for these books in the first place.
brother samurai, hotep
Hotepu as well, Brother Elder!! It’s been quite a long time. :-)
I understand what you’re saying. And I sure wish selling a magazine worked that way. But it doesn’t. They have to put people on the cover that will sell which includes models and celebrities. you can’t just throw a regular person on the cover of a fashion magazine. HOWEVER, there are many other publications that are more general or targeted outside of fashion that I think could benefit from that idea.
I see regular people everyday. I have no desire to see them on the covers of fashion magazines.
NO.
3 points here:
1) People seem to forget that models were at one point “regular people”, before they got into that business.
2) Where in this article did it state “fashion mags” specifically? I know they mentioned ELLE & EN VOGUE, but seems to me that she’s saying that models should have a monopoly on publications as a whole.
3) An attractive person is an attractive person, regardless of their profession. I’ve seen everyday women that are much more appealing than the herd of models that the industry parades in front of us, to dictate to us what is attractive.
Until the industry breaks the mold variety of sizes, shapes & races, then most of these models can kick rocks. Besides Naomi & Tyra, I can’t name another 2 models by name anyway. That’s how much i couldn’t give a shit about any of them.
I see two sides:
On one hand, I’m certainly glad to see people that I can relate to in fashion magazines, but as an artist, watching anyone and everyone claim your forte can be a little frustrating, especially when you’re studied your craft. I think this certainly applies to the movie industry as well.
Bring the models back! Fashion mags use the same celebs over and over and it gets boring.