Your Thoughts Re: Essence Hires White Fashion Editor Causes a BLacklash Amongst Former Editor & Readers? (671 hits)
Is Essence's Decision to Hire a Non-Black Person as Fashion Editor Really All That Big of a Deal or Jusy Another Double Standard for Black People?
But will the models, make-up, clothing and fashion shoots still reflect the desires and tastes of Essence's core audience (Re: black women)? I'm going to go with a likely yes despite how the hiring of former O: Home Magazine and Us Weekly editor Ellianna Placas, who happens to be white, looks to people. But in a fashion industry where there is a lack of women of color, both as models and as people behind the scenes, some folks are not happy. They are not happy at all.
It is hard to make it as an African American woman in the fashion industry. It always has been. Just as it is hard to make it in the media or in any industry where you are the token, the lonely only, the rarity or the exception to the mostly white rule. Even in my ten years working in media I was the only black person in every newsroom and office I've worked. So it's not really surprising to me that those who are the most vocal about Essence hiring a white fashion editor are those who have written for Essence, worked for Essence or work in the fashion industry.
They already know what a struggle it is. They know how hard it is to find work. Even if Placas is qualified, they're not going to really care about that. Their concern is going to be about what this means for black women working in the fashion industry what it means for the magazine that has historically been held up as the one open door when all other seemed to be closed.
As I was working on this post a woman came up to me to ask me my opinion on this and was surprised at my lack of surprise. For her this whole situation seemed unfathomable and hit her as hard as it hit the writers at Clutch and the former Essence staffers.
But Essence, like all magazines, is struggling in a tough media environment where revenues are hard to maintain, where there is more competition for the eyes of consumers and where all magazines are struggling to stay alive. Also, Essence is owned by Time Inc. and doesn't exist in some media-based Negro Oasis. Realistically, you can't necessarily begrudge Placas for the job or Essence for hiring her. But you can understand where the frustration comes from.
Full disclosure: I sometimes freelance for Essence.com and have written blog posts for them in the past.
