Naomi Campbell, who is heralded as the most successful black supermodel in the world, hinted at retiring last week during London Fashion Week. The supermodel who is the face of Yves Saint Laurent’s fall 2008 collection closed her charity fashion show last week in London with modeling’s newest it girl, Chanel Iman. Is this Naomi’s way of passing the torch to a younger generation of black supermodels? This summer’s Vogue Italia’s All-Black issue really brought attention to the need for more diversity on the runway. As a result the faces on the runway during New York and London Fashion Weeks were quite diverse. Liya Kebede, Chanel Iman, Naomi Campbell, Jourdan Dunn and a myriad of black models got the chance to walk the runway.
[F]or 20 years Campbell felt that she couldn’t retire. But now she can, she says, after listing several black models, such as Jourdan Dunn and Tyra Banks, who have appeared on major magazine covers in recent months: “This time they [designers and editors] have stepped it up. I feel positive. That means that I can go soon.” [Times UK]
Naomi Campbell still has fire in her to put most of the new models to shame but I think she needs to take a que from Iman and branch out and do her own thing. What will she do during retirement? She can also take a que from Jay-Z and retire for a couple of years then come back. But as Heidi Klum would say, “In fashion, one day you are in and one day you are out!” Who will take the throne as the “Diva Supermodel” if Naomi says auf wiedersehen to modeling? We shall find out. For now, I will be watching the catwalk for Miss Naomi’s famous strut.
