Joan Smalls Black Ethnic Vogue Brasil January 2013

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As I’ve said it so many times before, Joan Smalls is clearly one of the best models out there and also a personal favorite of mine. I enjoy seeing her in fashion magazines, I love seeing her on the catwalk. But I keep getting the feeling that as much as they’re liking her as well, the good fashion people will always have her entrapped into some silly cliché.

Take this Vogue Brazil January 2013, for instance: it’s summer in Brazil now. And this should be a summery cover. Instead, it’s a pretty disturbingly contrasting cover, with heavy studio lights on lovely Joan who’s photographed against an idyllic backdrop of sun & sand & sea (Ocean). (the story continues right after the jump with more images, click here for the gallery!)

Joan Smalls Vogue Brazil January 2013 cover

Joan Smalls Vogue Brazil For the technical sheet: Henrique Gendre is the photographer while the lovely clothes come from Hermes, Roberto Cavalli and more.

But really, black clothes for a black issue?

And yes, I totally agree with their cover title: Joan Smalls is the world’s number one model, however, I feel they they could’ve done so much better for a self announced ‘black issue’. Don’t you?

Joan Smalls Vogue Brazil January 2013 subscr cover

Certainly better than putting some wild animal printed clothes on Joan, hang some seriously sparkling necklaces and fabric fringes on her. Don’t get me wrong: I love Joan. I love the clothes she’s wearing, but they could’ve done so much better for a black issue! (a multi black models thing would’ve been great! many thanks to the fashion restless people from tFS)

Joan Smalls Vogue Brazil January 2013 pictorial Joan Smalls Vogue Brazil January 2013 Joan Smalls Mare Etnica Vogue Brazil January 2013

6 comments

#1 Apollonia on 12.23.12 at 10:28 am

Go away Joan, you turn me into a envious woman ;)

She’s so gorgeous. That second cover is perfectionism….sighs……

#2 Ellington on 12.23.12 at 11:58 am

She is lovely! Joan Smalls is stunning!
I love the photos, but Kpriss sadly the pathetic thing about the fashion world is they think that they are progressive, open-minded and ahead of everyone but when it comes to models of colour, they simply resort to janky stereotypes and lame ethnic tropes.

#3 Apollonia on 12.23.12 at 1:35 pm

Ellington, I realised that when I wrote my comment. But that second cover is so gorgeous that I “liked” to ignore it’s “a black issue”. And it’s indeed the same old, same lame ethnic stereotype.
It was certainly not ignorance and this is not in defense. You know me well enough by now. :)

#4 Ellington on 12.23.12 at 2:12 pm

I know Apollonia. :)

#5 kpriss on 12.23.12 at 3:54 pm

I thought I was the only one feeling this is an overused cliche! But I have such great expectations from Joan and her magazines space and with each of her covers, I just feel the frozen byte of disappointment.

Oh, and I’ve been meaning to ask you – where’s Chanel? I haven’t seen her around for quite a while now…

#6 Apollonia on 12.23.12 at 5:40 pm

Me neither but to be honest I think she’s a very cute looking girl. But not really a great model.

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