Leomie Anderson calls out lack of makeup artists for Black models in viral TikTok

27 October 2021, 17:28

Kendall Jenner claims that KUWTK made it harder for her to become a model

By Jazmin Duribe

Leomie was actually forced to do her own makeup at New York Fashion Week.

British supermodel Leomie Anderson has called on fashion designers to hire more Black make-up artists after she was forced to do her own make-up during New York Fashion Week.

In a now-viral TikTok, Leomie showed the realities of being Black and working in the modelling industry. While getting ready to walk for Christian Cowan at New York Fashion Week, Leomie requested a makeup artist that would be able to do Black skin. However, after applying the makeup, the artist left her looking like she "works in the mines". "I told him it wasn't my colour, he is trash," the voiceover said.

Leomie then has to take the makeup off before a more senior artist redoes her makeup for her. However, still not happy with the result, Leomie is forced to do her own makeup in 10 minutes because she felt "ugly AF".

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That's not the end of it, though. Leomie also showed multiple hairdressers pulling her hair in different directions after she was told to wash her hair. "No one dried it until the last minute," she said.

Of course once Leomie actually hit the runway she delivered and she shared images, and short clips of herself walking the runway. But after the drama backstage, Leomie felt defeated. She added: "By the time I walked the runway I wanted to go home.

"Please hire more black hair and make-up artists so we don't have to go through this."

Leomie's comment section was inundated with messages from Black models who have had similar experiences. "If you're a makeup artist and can't do makeup on different skin tones, you're not a professional," one user commented. Another wrote: "And this is why we need more POC's behind the scenes too."

Leomie has long been consistently calling out the disparities in the modelling industry for Black and white models, especially when it comes to hair and makeup. In 2016, she tweeted: "Of course I get given to the makeup artist who had ONE brown foundation she was trying to mix with white on a sly because she’s not equipped. Had to ask her straight 'do you have foundation for my skin tone orrrr?' My girl started sweating and said ‘I like to mix brands.'"

She continued: "Why is it that the black make-up artists are busy with blonde, white girls and slaying their make-up and I have to supply my own foundation? Why are there more white [makeup] artists backstage than black when black ones can do all races’ [makeup]? This is probably the first season that a white hairdresser hasn’t said to me 'Oh I’ve done Naomi Campbell’s weave, I know what I’m doing.'

"Why is there only ever one black hairdresser backstage yet they need four hairdressers to inspect my weave? Why can a white model sit in anyone’s chair and feel confident they’ll look okay but black models have to worry? WE NEED MORE MAKEUP ARTISTS AND HAIR WHO ARE COMPETENT WITH ALL RACES BACKSTAGE AT SHOWS."

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