“Don’t try to make me feel bad because I am blue black” – model Nykhor Paul

Sudanese model Nykhor Paul has posted a scathing criticism of makeup artists who fail to cater to dark-skinned models.

In a post to photo-sharing platform Instagram, she wrote: “Please don’t take this the wrong way but it’s time you people get your shit right when it comes to our complexion! Why do I have to bring my own makeup to a professional show when all the other white girls don’t have to do anything but show up wtf!”

Paul, who is known for her activism in trying to turn attention towards the conflict in the Sudan, added: “I’m tired of complaining about not getting book(ed) as a black model and I’m definitely super tired of apologizing for my blackness!!!!”

Racism on the runway is nothing new. In recent years, supermodels including Naomi Campbell and Iman have highlighted the lack of diversity in the fashion industry. The pair, who formed a “diversity coalition” with a former model agent Bethann Hardison in 2013, have named and shamed designers who consistently use one or no models of colour in their shows. Their list, included heavy-hitters like Marc Jacobs Calvin Klein and Donna Karan, and appeared to make an impact.

However, the challenge – if Paul’s post is anything to go by – goes beyond the designers, to every aspect of the fashion industry.

Read the full post here:

Dear white people in the fashion world! Please don’t take this the wrong way but it’s time you people get your shit right when it comes to our complexion! Why do I have to bring my own makeup to a professional show when all the other white girls don’t have to do anything but show up wtf! Don’t try to make me feel bad because I am blue black its 2015 go to Mac, Bobbi Brown, Makeup forever, Iman cosmetic, black opal, even Lancôme and Clinique carried them plus so much more. there’s so much options our there for dark skin tones today. A good makeup artist would come prepare and do there research before coming to work because often time you know what to expect especially at a show! Stop apologizing it’s insulting and disrespectful to me and my race it doesn’t help, seriously! Make an effort at least! That goes for NYC, London, Milan, Paris and Cape Town plus everywhere else that have issues with black skin tones. Just because you only book a few of us doesn’t mean you have the right to make us look ratchet. I’m tired of complaining about not getting book as a black model and I’m definitely super tired of apologizing for my blackness!!!! Fashion is art, art is never racist it should be inclusive of all not only white people, shit we started fashion in Africa and you modernize and copy it! Why can’t we be part of fashion fully and equally?

A photo posted by nykhor (@nykhor) on Jul 6, 2015 at 9:55am PDT

– Featured image: By Pear285, via Wikimedia Commons.