Viewers of America’s Next Top Model likely found out about the July edition of Italian Vogue
(also dubbed Vogue’s “All Black” issue) on the show’s fall 2008
premiere which mentioned past contestant plus size model Toccarra Jones
being featured in the issue.
The issue featured a fold-out cover which featured four portraits,
squashing rumors and speculation that had gone on for months before
about who was going to land on the cover.
America’s Next Top Model creator Tyra Banks recently aired an episode of her talk show The Tyra Banks Show in which she featured some of the models who posed for the photos, which spanned 100 pages of the issue.
The issue is the number-one best-selling issue in the history of the
magazine and is rare on newsstands but can be found on eBay for $90. The
issue was the brainchild of Vogue Italia’s editor Franca Sozzani
and photographer Steven Meisel, who felt that black models were
underrepresented in fashion and on the runway.
The Models
Among the many prominent models featured in the issue is Beverly Johnson, who was the first black model to ever be featured on the cover of Vogue.
Veronica Webb was the first black model to ever have a major cosmetics contract. “I wouldn’t be sitting here without [Beverly Johnson] and Iman,” says Veronica of her reaction to obtaining that historic contract.
Channel Iman is the youngest girl to ever be featured on the cover of American Vogue and one of the youngest models in this issue.
Pat Cleveland, Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks are also among the groundbreaking models featured. French-born model Noemie Lenoir, who was also featured in the issue, joined Tyra Banks and the other models for an outdoor event in New York which was taped for the Tyra Banks Show episode which aired on September 11, 2008.
On the show Tyra also paid tribute to her mother, who managed her during the first few years of her career, which began when she was 15. “Okay, that door is closed but we’re going to find a door that they don’t know about,” she said of helping her daughter deal with those early stages of rejection.
Plus-Sized Models Featured
Not only does the issue feature black models, but it also features two plus-sized models. Toccarra Jones even ended up having the most pictures of any of the models.Since she was featured on America’s Next Top Model, plus-size models have been getting more attention.
Model Crystal Renn is one example of a model who didn’t get attention before she decided to stop trying to fit the traditional model size.
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