Renee Thompson: Model Moment (PART 1)

Ever wondered what life was like for a model – a model of color? What if your race was démodé? Today’s minority models are drowning in the flood of Eastern Europeans monopolizing the industry. Amidst the chaos backstage at Montreal Fashion Week (Spring/Summer 09), I found a quiet corner to chat with Renee Thompson, whose thoughts on today’s hottest topic in the industry and tells-it-how-it-is attitude were as captivating as her look.

By Sachin Bhola
Photo: Courtesy of Nam Models

SACHIN BHOLA: Let’s jump right into it. The July 2008 issue of Italian Vogue, a.k.a. the “black issue,” featured only black models. It was the highest selling issue in the history of the magazine. What are your thoughts?

RENEE THOMPSON: The full cover-to-cover issue with only the top black models that have made it, and not the up and coming ones? Ya, I saw that one. Do you hear the hateration in my voice? Lol. I think it was great, but they’re depicting something we’ve known forever: Black girls are beautiful, they pose well and they’re on top of their game… we know all that shit already. Why don’t you (magazines) not try to fill your quota in one issue and spread it out? Now they’re just going to say “OK, we did our black thing, now can we go back to what we were doing?”

SACHIN: So do you think that ethnic models in fashion are trendy or something that serves to advance your position in the industry?
RENEE: Well it’s just like what they did to the Asian girls for the last two seasons: They were all over the place… doing major ad campaigns and being the ethnic counterpart to the white girl. Where are all of them now? I think black, Indian, Chinese, or any other race that is not visibly white is always a trend. In and out.

SACHIN: Tell me about your experience as a black model. Do you feel that it’s challenging or is it an asset because it’s exotic?
RENEE: I think it’s a mixture of both. When I first started modeling, I was in a Model Look contest, and I was the only black girl. So of course you stick out a little bit, lol! People are going to notice you and be like, “who’s the black girl?” But at the other end of it, when I entered the contest I had straight long hair that moved and they said, “can you do something to make yourself look more ethnic?” And I was like EXCUSE ME? More WHAT?

SACHIN: Something that fits the box? If they’re going to do “black”, they’re going to do “black” all the way.

RENEE: Exactly. And that’s how my first look started. I was too young to understand what they were going after… they thought that nappy hair and big lips is what it is. I didn’t know enough to be offended. Now, if they tell me that shit I tell them to go to hell.

For more with Renee Thompson, stay tuned for Part 2...