For years, the celebration of our beauty was blatantly disregarded.
But we continue to rise up.
Black women are reclaiming what beauty means and setting their own standards.
So how do you strut powerfully through the world of modeling without succumbing tostereotypical beauty standards?
Three unapologetic Black models who have owned their uniqueness share how theyve paved their own lanes.
Diops journey to fully loving the skin shes in inspires the masses.
Hannah Sider
Shes turned what was once her biggest insecurity into her gift.
How have your thoughts on the word pretty evolved over time?
I used to think that pretty meant perfection.
I would define beauty as a woman whos happy with being herself.
When youre not feeling confident, what do you do to pick yourself back up?
I love hearing about my roots and my culture.
Earring: Bonheur Jewelry; Denim Vest: Grey Jason Wu
It helps me get centered.
Was there ever something about yourself you struggled with loving that you embrace now?
I remember the moment I started overthinking what I look like and how much I hated my skin.
It was when one my best friends told me I looked like a ghost because I was so dark.
I really struggled getting comfortable in my own skin.
Over time, I really started to remind myself how beautiful, worthy, and unique I am.
Who are the women in your life who you really look up to?
Skin-bleaching products are popular in my country because the notion is lighter skin is beautiful.
My mom is a woman who respects and loves herself and did not surrender to any beauty standards.
Blouse: Eloquii; Earrings: Bonheur Jewelry
Youre still learning about yourself.
What was the aha moment when you began to truly love the skin youre in?
I was walking the streets of Italy with my sister, and absolutely no one looked like me.
I looked at myself in the mirror and just felt so beautiful, unique, and happy about myself.
I realized that this is my beauty and I have to embrace it.
You always have to love yourself first before anyone else.
What brands are doing a good job at diversity?
Some foundations still come out too red or too blue-based for my skin tone.
Oftentimes the industry and beauty companies fail to acknowledge the beauty of all skin tones.
Blouse: Topshop; Blazer: Misbhv; Earrings: Closer by Wwake
Did you ever feel overlooked?
To be honest, I still feel overlooked.
Some brands stop selling their darkest foundation shades just because they arent selling.
I think brands need to be more inclusive and sell products with all women in mind.
Dark-skinned models arent a trend.
Its very important for us to be represented and celebrated on all platforms.
What was your experience like with makeup when you were younger?
I always used to experiment with my sisters makeup.
My sister is a lot lighter than me, though.
So, Id always have to mix a little bit of her foundation with black mascara and black crayons.
So Id put more crayons in the foundation to make it darker.
You seem like someone who has really embraced your natural beauty and features.
Have you always felt this confident?
Growing up in a country that doesnt celebrate my beauty was hard.
Im 20 years old, so my process of self-love is still going.
Getting to inspire and meet new people is so fulfilling.
I used to barely talk to people and was in my own bubble.
How do you practice self-love on a daily basis?
I have very bad anxiety, so I practice deep breathing every morning and before going to bed.
Every day I make a run at remind myself that theres not one definition of beauty.
I tell myself I dont need anyones opinions.
I just need air and thats all.
What do you do to practice self-love?
When I need a pick-me-up, I like to ask myself what is it that Im really unhappy with.
I continue to love myself and put Anita first.
Was there ever a feature that you struggled with loving that you embrace now?
I remember that every body is different.
I am not the only one clothes are not made for.
We are never the problem, and it is our job to hold the companies responsible.
We have the opportunity to have honest opinions with these brands, and they want to hear our feedback.
And I mean our feedback as in the customer because you are who they want to cater to.
As a woman of color in the fashion industry, do you feel a sense of responsibility?
I feel a responsibility to uplift each other and hold each other accountable for our actions.
I know I am my sisters keeper.
What are your thoughts on the huge body-positivity moment happening on social media and in the industry?
I love that we are in a space where we are openly in love with ourselves.
Love is in the air, and you cannot truly love if it does not start with yourself.
Having the capacity to love yourself makes it easy for you to love the world around you.
What are some misconceptions you think people have about being a curvy model?
One of the misconceptions is that I am not curvy enough.
In reality, anything above a size 8 is considered plus in the modeling industry.
What was your upbringing like, and how has that shaped you into who you are today?
My upbringing was loving and honest.
I was surrounded by a support system.
I was molded into a fearless, loving woman.
Have you always loved the body that youre in?
If not, what has that journey been like?
When I thought I didnt love my body, I wasnt truly happy within.
I realized I could have my ideal body and still not be happy with myself.
Bronx, New Yorkborn supermodel and albinism awareness activist Diandra Forrest is the epitome of striking beauty.
This passion for promoting representation in her field has been her fuel to keep going.
How did you grow to love your albinism and turn that into your superpower?
I was not always comfortable with having albinism.
I didnt like to explain what albinism was and why I look the way I do.
When I grew up, I was very shy and wanted to blend in.
So I had to get comfortable with it.
When I started to focus more on my inner beauty, my external beauty wasnt such a thing.
People focused on me and my personality.
Its more about who I am rather than what I look like.
Whats the biggest misconception you think people have about albinism?
I have strong African features, so it shocks people because I have such white skin.
And now that Im embracing my natural hair, its become even more of a shock factor.
They thought I looked too white to be 100% African-American.
What was your experience like working in the modeling world over the past 10 years?
When I first started modeling, staying in an agency was difficult.
Theyd always say, We like her look, but she stands out too much.
Theyd be fearful that my look would be a distraction from what the brands were trying to sell.
How did you deal with the discouragement?
There were plenty of times when I thought I didnt want to model anymore.
People are constantly judging your looks down to your hair, size, and skin.
I have a strong support system with my family who always push me to keep going.
The reason I started modeling is because I wanted to see someone with albinism in the mainstream media.
I relaxed my hair for a while throughout my career.
Im a Black girl, and I love my natural texture.
And I want my daughter to embrace her natural texture and know that her hair is beautiful too.
What do you think the beauty and fashion industries can do better?
The industry is getting better when it comes to including more Black models.
I have nystagmus, which comes from having albinism.
Its a jittering eye movement that causes my eyes to shake.
But its about being comfortable having albinism and the things that come with it.
Its something that most people with albinism have, and we cant control it.
Were always going to have moments when we need to lift ourselves up.
What do you do in those moments?
I reflect on my roots and who I am.
Its important to know how to build yourself up.
Your external beauty comes full circle when youre internally beautiful.
Black Women:This is a tribute to you.
