Naomi Campbell has revealed how she personally called Victoria Beckham to confront her over her lack of black models at the height of the row over race discrimination in the fashion world.The former Spice Girl had just one non-white model in her team for her recent London Fashion Week show.Supermodel Naomi, who is working on a campaign to expose discrimination in the fashion industry, tackled the issue by calling Victoria directly.
"I called Victoria and I spoke to her," she admitted. "I don't want to pin-point anyone. It isn't a blame game. "Naomi made it clear that she wasn't singling out Victoria, whose fashion house was included alongside other offending companies in an open letter from Naomi after New York Fashion Week. "Everyone's name was on that letter because they'd done it," she added.
Naomi said she didn't believe Victoria had chosen predominantly white models deliberately. "It could have been completely unintentional. She is one of the designers on there like everyone else. "Naomi is at the forefront of the anti-racism Diversity Coalition with David Bowie's model wife Iman and agent Bethann Hardison.
The letter highlighted that at New York Fashion Week just six per cent of models were black and nine per cent were Asian and that fewer black models are used now than in the 1970s.
It listed "fashion houses guilty of this racist act" including Victoria Beckham, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Armani, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli and Marc by Marc Jacobs.
Naomi confessed that she wasn't worried about upsetting fellow fashion industry members. "Absolutely not! There is no way to candycoat this sort of thing," she said. "You have to be straight. We had the percentages and we were armed with the facts and you can't be nervous about upsetting people. "I speak the truth. People might not like it but I am doing it. "It is not yet known how Victoria responded to Naomi's complaint.
Naomi and Victoria have had a rollercoaster relationship for many years but more recently have worked together and Naomi has supported Victoria's fashion business describing her as a "great friend and mother."
The issue of discrimination in the fashion industry hit the headlines when Naomi and her campaign colleagues put their names to an open letter addressed to the governing bodies of the fashion industries in New York, London, Paris and Milan.
On Tuesday Victoria was nominated for two British Fashion Awards in two of the most prestigious categories – Red Carpet Award and Brand of the Year.She faces tough competition from Burberry and Alexander McQueen in the latter category, while she will compete against one of Kate Middleton's favourite designers Erdem and Antonio Berardi for red carpet dressing.
