Supermodel Naomi Campbell has always been outspoken about the lack of diversityof black and brown models in the fashion industry and discrimination. Now in an interviewwith CNN’s Hala Gorani, Campbell has talked about pay disparity as her next focus. ‘I’m now looking at [models getting the] same payment for doing the same work…It should be equal,’ she explained of why she feels this should be the next challenge to address.
The fashion pay gap has been highlighted when it comes to gender and retail. A report last year revealed that many fashion brands while hiring a disproportionately high number of women, payed them significantly less than their male co-workers. In response, The chief executive of Karen Millen released a statement saying that they would ‘do more to champion diversity at all levels of our business and ensure everyone can build and sustain a successful and rewarding career.’
In the modelling profession, the gender pay gap is reversed with women usually making more than their male counterpart. But Naomi highlights in her CNN interview that there is still a racial pay disparity that accompanies other forms of racial discrimination in the modelling world.
‘There’s always work to be done. You should never sit on your laurels and think everything’s fine.’
Naomi’s campaigning for the fashion world to open itself up to inclusion has gone hand in hand with her work on the African continent. Last year Grazia’s Emily Maddick met up with Naomi at Nigeria Fashion Week where Naomi expressed her desire to help put a spotlight on the fashion industry in Africa. A the time she said, ‘This is a continent that has been untapped and ignored,’ she tells me. ‘There is so much emerging talent here that has struggled for so many years, it needs to be spoken about!’
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