Rick Owens Spring 2014 - Paris Fashion Week

I am not a fashion guru.

I can barely dress myself appropriately for society.

But I do know, just like the rest of the general population, that there is a severe shortage of diversity in the high fashion modeling world. Which is why the Rick Owens Spring 2014 show caught my attention. Black girls....not skinny 6 feet tall with weaves black girls....but blacks girls, in all their natural beauty, dominated the show. Dancers. And not just any dancers but step dancers. A talent that requires athleticism, stamina and agility.

I'm not sure what kind of statement he was trying to make.

Everyone has an opinion on it....and that's what I care about.

That at least, now the issue has been brought to the fore front. 

Oya discuss. 

You cannot ignore it. You will address it irrespective of your opinion about diversity or body image.

Some people are mad that he used step dancers...and that they didnt dance well....First of all, this was not a step dancing competition. At the end of the day its a fashion show and the movements of the dance have to still show case the attire and etc....

Others say step dancing is not proper reflection of our community. 

Step dancing ...and dancing in general is part of the many components that make up our heritage. He picked something from this colorful rainbow to in cooperate into his show and his vision. 

Am tired of people feeling like somebody owes them something. He didnt have to do anything but he did something. Our judgement gets so clouded sometimes that we cannot take an act at face value. 

BET's Rip the runway has a similar concept. But does the black community cry foul? No....because its put together by black people?
We feel that everything and anything that has to do with someone outside the black community using something that's part of our community has an ulterior motive. 

Am sure all step dancers around  the world would appreciate that their craft was used as an inspiration by someone. Am sure they would have loved to be on the show as part of someone's artistic vision. 

I don't understand the backlash from the black community. We were cool with step dancing in all those movies showcasing Greek life across america's college campuses and we celebrated it........but how dare someone give a group of talented young women an opportunity to step dance at a very popular fashion event?.....

I feel that by choosing dancers and variety of body shapes, you get something bigger than just another skinny model who happens to be black. The issue with the fashion industry is 2 folds. Lack of Diversity and Body Image. His show addresses both.

Over the years I've learned not just to talk about diversity in terms of blacks but inclusive of all other minorities in the world. Because the term minority is relative to the issue or location. Blacks are a minority outside of Africa but not in the continent. Same with Asians outside of Asia and etc

So in the fashion industry when I say minorities I mean anyone but those with European features....