City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 6-2017 Black Models Matter: Challenging the Racism of Aesthetics and the Facade of Inclusion in the Fashion Industry Scarlett L. Newman The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2143 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact:
[email protected] BLACK MODELS MATTER: CHALLENGING THE RACISM OF AESTHETICS AND THE FAÇADE OF INCLUSION IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY By SCARLETT NEWMAN A master’s thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts The City University of New York 2017 i ©2017 SCARLETT NEWMAN All Rights Reserved ii Black Models Matter: Challenging the Racism of Aesthetics and the Façade of Inclusion in the Fashion Industry by Scarlett Newman This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in satisfaction of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Arts. Date Wayne Koestenbaum Thesis Advisor Date Elizabeth Macaulay-Lewis Executive Officer THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT Black Models Matter: Challenging the Racism of Aesthetics and the Façade of Inclusion in the Fashion Industry by Scarlett Newman Advisor: Wayne Koestenbaum The global fashion market is expanding every day, but often, the global fashion runways do not reflect that reality.