Natural hair in the media: Louis Vuitton Spring 2010 show features white models with oversized afros UPDATED
Louis Vuitton models at Paris Fashion Week
Marc Jacobs, the creative director for LV is quoted as saying that the collection was “about travelers—the movement that came after punk. Then we were thinking about hiking, trekking, and then denim and parkas—city utilitarianism.”
A full story is here. I’ll let you guys add your own caption to this one. What do you think?
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Excerpt from Newsweek article on Zahara Jolie’s hair written by Allison Samuels;
“But even the mothers who spare the hot comb still have to put time and effort into keeping hair healthy: Any self-respecting black mother knows that she must comb, oil, and brush her daughter’s hair every night. This prevents the hair from matting up, drying out, and breaking off. It also prevents any older relatives from asking them why you’re neglecting your child and letting her run around looking like a wild woman. Having well-managed hair is not just about style, it’s about pride, dignity, and self-respect. Keeping your daughter’s hair neat is an unspoken rule of parental duties that everyone in the community recognizes and respects.
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Hair that is nice, neat, and cared for also gives African-American girls the confidence that they can fit into the world at large without being seen as completely different. One truism of childhood is that nothing is more important than being like everyone else. Well, as like everyone else as you can be with Hollywood parents. But not all people will recognize Zahara as the child of movie royalty. To many, she’ll be just a black little girl—and a black girl with bad hair at that.
In recent pictures it’s clear Angelina Jolie hasn’t taken the time to learn or understand the long and painful history of African-American women and hair. If she had I can’t imagine she would continue to allow Zahara to look like she has in the past few months. Photos of Zahara show the 4-year-old girl sporting hair that is wild and unstyled, uncombed and dry. Basically: a “hot mess.’’
African American blogs and forums such as Media Takeout, Black Hair Media and even mainstream outlets like TMZ have been on fire the past few weeks demanding to know why Angelina won’t just comb Zahara’s hair? Each blog receives hundreds of e-mails every time they run a picture of the little girl with her hair uncombed. “I just hope that they realize she has different hair needs and find someone black who can keep her hair looking good,” said a commenter on Bossip.com. “Angie, if you can’t comb hair then get someone who can. This is ridiculous now. Your hair is always in place and so is Shiloh’s. Why does Zahara have to always look like she just woke up?” writes a commenter on TheFabLife.com.”
I’m sorry Allison, but I’m not seeing how Zahara has “bad hair”. She looks cute to me. Her hair looks shiny — a good sign — and it probably stands up like that because it’s a cross between a curly and kinky texture.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!
Did you happen to read the article in Newsweek about Zahara Jolie Pitt's hair? If you haven't please do you read it and possibly give us your opinion.
here is a link:
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/10/09/Zahara-Jolie-Pitt-and-the-Politics-of-Uncombed-Hair.aspx
Thanks for the link Keyra. I'll be sure to post about this tomorrow.
haha cute.. LV is major and such glamorous fashion, how COULDNT i like it lol.
i hope and pray people dont get all touchy about this post too lol dang
well, I guess I'm one of the people getting "all touchy" about hair. Most recently, Bethann Hardison, Iman, Ms. Campbell and others have held forums/commented on the lack of Black models. There was an article in the NYTimes about this "blackout". A designer said the following to Joy Bryant: "You're beautiful, but we're not using black this season" (check her article in the Huffington Post, I believe). We can't be used, but a FACSIMILE of our hair can???? WTF! If you ONLY want to use lily white models (usually Russian or German), well then take the limp, blonde hair that goes with it! And what is he saying about travelers? Since when did a natural=traveler? I'm just confused :S
I saw these pics and thought of that line "if you build it, they will come" from some baseball movie. I agree with Dailey. I hope people don't get up in arms about this.
I took a moment to check out the link about Zahara and I sincerely hope you don't post about it. That article, written by a black woman I presume, is one of the most blatant examples of self-hate that I've read in quite some time. I feel like writing a long rant after reading it, but the author isn't deserving of my words. This blog is too good for mess like that.
@keyra
wow. just finished reading the article and some of the comments. i think they have said enough about the matter that i dont need to add more.
thank you for sharing
looking forward to the Zahara Jolie post
Those fake afros look kind of silly to me. Its interesting how they incorperated different hair colors thought.
I really have to respond to that article dealing with Brad and Angelinas daughters hair because this atricle left me very confused and dumbfounded.
All I could think of was, here we go again. All these articles about black peoples naturally textured hair just need to stop because I have yet to read one that gets it right.
I don't think that the article had anything to do with Zahara's hair. It had to deal with how, even for black people, looking at a black persons natural hair is uncomfortable.
What makes black people feel so uncomfortable is just reading some comments about what Angelina needs to do with Zaharas hair. For many of the people commenting, they want that little girl to have perm. Its so painfully obvious.
For many, its a "hot mess" because its not straight.
With over half the black female population in America not wearing their natural hair, its obvious to me why black feel the need to open their mouths.
Nothing is wrong with this childs hair. The outcry is coming from black peoples who insecurities about their own hair. Its really unfair to project ones won hair insecurities that they may have on to someone else.
I honestly don't think that just because someone is black that makes them an expert on how to take care of naturally coily hair.
Many black people don't even know how their natural hair looks like much less how to acutually take care of it. So why offer advice?
I'm not saying that black people don't know how to take care of their hair at all. I'm just saying that the techniques that many black people use need to change.
And this quote was just very confusing: “It just hurts my heart because I know that little girl won’t be even able to look at her baby pictures without being perplexed at how she looks and why."
What the heck does Zahars hair have to do with her???? What does she even mean by this?
Then to go on and say:
"It would be a shame but not surprising. Why adopt her if you’re not going to do your best to raise her to be confident and fulfilled. Other cultures might think this is petty, but trust me it isn’t for a young black girl."
What is she talking about? Is she a fly on the wall at the Pitts residence? How does she know Zahara is not confident and fulilled. Is it because because shes running around with…dare I say, nappy hair!!!
Give me a break. It hurts many black people to see coily, kinky, nappy, hair on a young black girl.
The more I hear black people trying to give tips on how to take care of Zaharas hair, the more I realize how insecure and black people are about their hair.
And that last note from the author saying she is all for natural hair as long as its maintained well is just a sad attempt at trying to be all for natural hair. Give me a break…
Could her hair use some moisture and a different style. Yes. But people just need to leave that girl alone.
I also forgot to mention how inaccurate it is for the author to practically disregard that Zahara is Ethiopian and not African American. Yes, she will be looked at as a Black American, but her background is from Ethiopia.
Hate it, makes black hair look foolish/ freakish.
They look like barbie dolls w/ over-processed curly perms. Not cute IMHO.
Keyra, I went and looked at that article. I agree with some points of it and I do feel that when white parents adopt an African (black) child, they need to educate themselves on how to properly care for their hair (i.e. the professor that was featured on BGLH twice).
I wholeheartedly agree with one of the statements she posted in the article: "Angie, if you can’t comb hair then get someone who can. This is ridiculous now. Your hair is always in place and so is Shiloh’s. Why does Zahara have to always look like she just woke up." It pisses me off to see mothers/fathers who always look put together and well-groomed while their child looks a hot mess. That just isn't right.
I was all prepared to say it's just hair till I read about the blackface shoot in French vogue. Post-racial my ass.
I didn't see anything wrong with Zahara's hair. It looks moisturized, has sheen, and doesn't look tangled at all. It's a cute curly fro, and it is an appropriate style for a girl her age. It shows me that far from Jolie demonstrating she doesn't know how to take care of coily hair, she's embracing her child's natural tresses and teaching her daughter to do the same. I hope she keeps it up.
I think the wigs on the models look ridiculous. They could have gone with afro wigs that look more natural, but I guess the former is considered high fashion.
@ anon 8:20… yeh i heard about that and i had the exact same reaction!!!i initially didn't really have an opinion on these afro wigs, but after seeing that white model do blackface for french vogue, it made me wonder if a.) the fashion industry feels that white models do black features better than black women and b.) black women's features are viewed as a 'garnish' on european beauty.
here's the article about dutch model lara stone doing blackface; http://www.stylelist.com/blog/2009/10/13/french-vogue-blackface-model-lara-stone/
Black people really need to get over themselves. Yeah, I said it. I'm so tired of this foolish debate about Zahara's hair. Her hair looks fine. It looks the way curly hair looks when it's allowed to just be. I think the problem is so many people are so completely out of touch with ther roots (pun intended) that they have no understanding of how different textures of black hair look. I think most of the flack Angelina's getting from black folk is based on one thing and one thing only – she's white. Had she been adopted by a black celebrity who chose to keep her hair that way, would the uproar be the same?
@kala77 – would you have your daughter's hair looking like that? I was born with a curly fro and my mother never relaxed my hair. I am still natural to this day because I learned early-on that my natural hair was beautiful and relaxers would make my hair thin, fall out, etc… (I swear my mom told me that at least once a day). That being said, she never had my hair looking like "ram sham" (my Bajan/Caribbean crew knows the term) and was always sure to make me look presentable. She would moisturize and braid it, twist it, put it up in a puff, or just throw a headband on it and call it a day. I wouldn't allow my daughter's hair to look like Zahara's outside of the house…but maybe that is just me and how I was brought up.
from anon @8:20 (cuz I'm too lazy to log in)
Been pondering this LV thing all morning, read a couple of comments on some blogs. The more I think of it, the more I stick with my gut reaction that this isn't a big deal and we need to not make a big deal of it. The blackface thing in French Vouge though was totally insulting.
This is my question though. What will black folk do? Get all up in arms and have verbal diarrhea all over the web or make some changes. Will you still buy Vogue? What about other products advertised in that issue of French Vogue? What if one of your favorite products is in there? Are you willing to do without it as a sign or protest or will you only protest with your mouth?
At some point, our wallets have to start talking.
Not appreciating the afro wigs on the models. It just looks silly to me.
@anon 9:21 yes SOME black people need to get over themselves. Other black people see nothing wrong with the little girl's hair and think people should leave Angelina alone. Yes some black women project their insecurities on black celebrity children because they are in the spotlight and it's not right. However black and white people alike do the same thing to Michelle Obama's girls when they wear braids.
As for the afros on the models I don't think its a big deal. However I must ad that the original article that went along with those pics was yanked. The original article referred to the afros as cartoonish. Maybe someone from LV had the insight to replace that one. If so I can appreciate that.
@ Keyra
I just read the article in Newsweek about Zahara Jolie-Pitt. Three words: Oh. My. God. More perpetuating of the myth. It saddens me.
@ anonomous: "I think most of the flack Angelina's getting from black folk is based on one thing and one thing only – she's white. Had she been adopted by a black celebrity who chose to keep her hair that way, would the uproar be the same?" Church it, and preach it!
There is nothing wrong with Zahara's hair. It doesn't look dry or matted or uncared for. It looks like a natural fro. Sadly, many white AND black people fail to realize that healthy/pretty/nice hair has nothing to do with the straightness of your hair or cornrows, or how many bows are in it. because it is not the stereotypical pigtailed look of many african american childrend does NOT meant there is anything wrong with her curly fro.
the LV models don't look very haute couture in my opinion. they look a little silly and prohaps LV didn't realize that it MAY come off as colturally insensitive…either that, or they didn't care.
Oh, and on the Louis Vuitton wigs – I don't have a problem with it. It's just high fashion in my opinion. Something visual for the runway.
I did check the French Vogue pictures though. Black and White Minstrel Show was the first thought that sprang to mind! What century are we living in? Can somebody tell me please?
**If you end up posting the Zahara article, please put my post there, thanks**
My question is how can anyone come to the conclusion that Zahara's hair isn't well-moisturized? That's darn near impossible to tell in a paparazzi photo. From what I can see, her hair looks nice- I don't see any lint, it doesn't look like a bird's nest (uncombed), it seems shiny. I do think a headband or bow is good for a girl her age(that's my only qualm). But, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the style (though I hope jolie gives her more than one style. 1 style for a child of any race is boring)! It's funny to me, because she is clearly a type 3- hair that was once considered "GOOD" in our community. With the barrage of weaves, super relaxers, kiddie perms etc, is NO amount of curl acceptable anymore??? It has nothing to do with Angelina's race. It has to do with some people's aversion/absolute REPULSION to curls and coils. The author should be ashamed…her constant use of the term "wild". There's nothing wild about our hair. She clearly equated natural hair with unkempt, "Buckwheat" hair. As for the black face…I have no words. Though, I am not at all surprised.
So, I felt compelled (yes, compelled) to look up a picture of Allison Sammuels, the author of the Zahara article. Here it is (http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/31120/Allison_Samuels/index.aspx).
I must confess that Zahara's hair DID used to be horrific! I do think Brad and Angelina did have to learn how to style Zahara's hair.
However for atleast the last year or so, Zahara's hair looks normal and the picture that was in the magazine was actually normal.
I think the author has issues with natural hair in the form of afros or locs (dreads as she calls them). She feels they are not child appropriate.
I can't wait to have some babies and take an afro picture!
On the French vogue and Louis Vuitton issue – this is nothing to talk about. The fashion industry is about shock value. It is a show, never forget that, pure and simple a show.
Note the inspiration was from travellers, not Africans. Remember white hippies in the 70s also had afros.
On LV: Funnily enough when I see the afro wigs on white models, it looks silly and represents contrasts, I suppose, but I'm not offended. It is EXACTLY how I feel when I see straight hair weaves and wigs on black women. It looks silly and represents a contradiction. The French Vogue blackface though: utterly horrifyingly offensive. And, I think that's okay to feel differently about the two fashion instances.
On the Newsweek article: If the author was white, wouldn't we be calling all she said racist and asking for an apology, but instead we call it self-hate, is that right? I'm just saying.
"would you have your daughter's hair looking like that?"
Sure, why not. Her hair does not look so horrible that its not appropiate for public view. Give me a break. Like I said in my previous comment, yes, the child needs some moisture and a different style. Other then that she looks adorable.
Black people have a deep rooted insecurity that just keeps going down from generation to generation.
This isn't anybody else child but Brad and Angelina. Let them worry about how to do her hair.
Also, this child is only 4 years old. People just need to leave her be.
Why does the natural community hate on free flowing hair so much. This is Zahara's hair as it would fall naturally. How much do you really love your hair if you never let it be? If Angelia braids or twists her daughters hair is up to her. Just because most black mothers braid their daughters' hair does not mean she has to. It is her child! I never braid my hair! It is always out, I hate the way braid and twist outs look on me, I like the way my hair "naturally" falls. Naturals claim to have hair love, but would never let the hair free; claiming mixed curls patterns, tangles, blah blah. My hair tangles just the same wash n go or or out style. Wear your hair how you like and style your childs how you like. When Mel C shaved her daughter into a mohawk no one had anything to say about her child's confidence. The girl's hair has shine ( good indicator of moisture) and softness has to be felt (can't be seen). If she and her mom like her fro, ROCK THE FRO. Where is it wriiten that good mothers must braid thier children's hair or put ornaments on it like they are a freakin christmas present. I have always hated those stupid bows.
I'm guessing they want to see Zahara with braids, twists and/or plaits. And I don't disagree– for an active little girl, protective styles are best. And I do believe Angelina could do better.
But her hair doesn't look nappy or horrible to me; it just doesn't seem to be a convenient or even really sensible style for a little girl. Especially one on the go.
However, I can't help wondering about the people who say she looks a "hot mess." Because her hair is allowed to stand up the way it grows out?
There's a thin line here between finding a natural 'fro to be unkempt and finding Zahara's particular head of hair unkempt, and I'm not sure it hasn't been crossed.
@Anonymous 3:59 pm–we must remember, just because we are all a part of the natural community doesn't mean all of our hairs are alike–you might like your hair being out and falling free, and there's nothing wrong with that, but there's no indication of dislike of our natural tresses just because some of us don't have our hair out all the time. We are all different.
And as far as the commentary on Zahara and the wigs: is this any surprise? Since when have big wigs (no pun intended) in ANY industry been culturally sensitive? And the comments on Zahara don't surprise me. Black people are so used to looking at hair outside of its natural state that when we see it, we flip a shit. It's easy to sit behind a piece of paper or a computer and talk a lot of shit (and I am a writer saying this) without really saying anything.
So many topics!!!
I'm not an LV fan, so I don't necessarily care. Hair was an interesting accessory for the presentation, just like Alexander McQueen's ridiculous 10'' heels.
Zahara's hair looks healthy and shiny even, I don't see anything wrong with her rocking a short little fro. She has a lot of hair, but it's not long! If it's not dry when left out, why would you want to try and braid a 4 yr old's short hair?? My mom had to lock me in between her legs to make me stay put! Looks to me like they've embraced her curls. It's interesting to me that Angelina's "neat" hair is just her hair, while Zahara's is "wild" and "a hot mess."
Regarding French Vogue, I…have no words. I try not to let stuff like that upset or offend me too much, and I'm not necessarily surprised since France has historically been racially insensitive. I just don't understand the purpose of putting her in blackface. However, I also think that we're moving towards a place where a white person could possibly play black/dark-skinned person (Ben Kinsley in Ghandi, Tropic Thunder, though RDJr didn't need an Oscar nom); a black person may play a white person(White Chicks, I guess); and that be acceptable/okay/not offensive. I'm not exactly sure what to say about it, but I thought it was worth pointing out.
That article is beyond ridiculous. She is targeting a 4 year old who is basically wearing a baby afro. Black people (I am black too) need to understand that we are more than our hair- natural, permed, weaved up whatever. Come on people! Lets get real! That article made me upset b/c what she is saying is based on her and a few other people's view of how a child's hair should look like and be kept. I need black women like Alison to stop trying to speak on our behalf b/c hair is hair is hair and it is nothing more than that.
I read that piece of trash article and posted the following comment on Newsweek:
Who is this self-hating excuse of a reporter named Allison Samuels? Here's a better question. What kind of editor approves this crap? Maybe the chemicals from the relaxer that Allison uses every 6 weeks to change the hair texture that God gave her has seeped into her brain.
Let me try to cut through Allison's self-loathing. Wavy, kinky hair is the way God created black people. If He wanted our hair to be straight, it would be that way naturally. It is not God's intention for black women to spread the same chemicals found in drain cleaner on our hair to achieve something that is so unnatural.
Zahara's hair is BEAUTIFUL and WAVY and KINKY in all its glory. Keep your shame about natural hair to yourself. And, I will NEVER buy Newsweek. Just for spite, I am subscribing to TIME magazine today. I can only pray that Angelina does not read this garbage.
About Zahara:
I was pretty much through after reading the line "comb and brush it every night."
Sorry. Wrong answer. My daughter's 4b/c hair is waist length stretched and healthy primarily because it is only manipulated twice a month. Good grief the misinformation. I understand folks want to see Zahara's hair styled but lets not act like her hair is matted and tangled. It's not.
MJ said:I do think a headband or bow is good for a girl her age(that's my only qualm). But, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the style (though I hope jolie gives her more than one style. 1 style for a child of any race is boring)!
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Lol, I actually agree. I hope Angie does eventually switch it up. Come on, we naturals LOVE hair accessories!Where are all the cute hair clips for little girls, lol. I think Monet nailed it by saying as an active child, protective hair styles might be a better option. Great suggestion (maybe Angie does not know).
The author had a lot of racist undertones! Why did she bring up Tom Cruise's son when the was discussing Z's hair? What I sensed was that she's not in support of IR adoptions, because she feels the child won't understand what it means to be "black"…BS! It's also mind-boggling to think that someone could write an article targeting a 4 yr. old..SMH.
My friend has two adopted sisters from Ghana. I'm not gonna lie,some parents (including blacks) are clueless on how to take care of their daughter's natural hair. But it's not always easy for these parents to find black ppl who are willing to give them helpful tips. My friend told me that some black ppl found it offensive or were annoyed with her questions. Most told her to relax the girls' hairs.I believe it, lol. It's not fair to comment if you're not willing to help.
On few adoptions sites that I've seen, there are tips to take care of black/biracial hair. See, that's that BEST resolution. For one, Newsweek should be ashamed of publishing this article. This should not be "news". Also, why not lend some helpful tips instead of bashing if she felt Z's hair was a "hotmess" as she called it? She's the hotmess/bully for picking on a cute little girl!
LMAO @ the article about Zahara's hair. I literally just fell off my seat. Very very very hilarious.
First and foremost, Zahara is Ethiopian…not African American.
Second of all, Ethiopian hair has a very different texture from standard "black hair". It is softer, more curlier and it grows a lot faster. Zahara's hair is not "untidy". It is curly, wavy, thick and growing really fast. By not messing up her hair with products and all that jazz, Angelina is doing the right thing. People need to calm down and for the record, I'm not even a fan of the Pitt-Jolie clan.
"Ethiopian hair has a very different texture than standard "black hair". It is softer, more curlier and it grows a lot faster."
That is one of the goofiest comments I've ever heard- short of the Newsweek article.
1)Given the variety of ethnic groups within the country, there are A NUMBER of hair textures within the Ethiopian community (just as there's a wide array throughout the diaspora)- from curly to coiled. The "fast growing" hair comment is null and void in Zahara's case given the fact that her hair is quite short for her age. People of all nationalities have hair that grows at varying rates…so, let's not generalize.
2) Zahara's hair is a type 3, HOWEVER it would still be wrong to disparage her hair if she were a type 4. Her hair is "tidy" not b/c it's "curly, wavy, thick" (unlike "standard black hair" in your mind's eye), but because it is healthy. It would be equally tidy if it were type 4 and healthy.
3) Yes, she's Ethiopian-American, but we all know that she is/will be regarded as Black American by the majority population…just as President Obama is called Black or African-American. That's nothing new.
Anonymous @ October 16, 2009 12:29 AM
That was not a "goofy" comment. I've lived in Ethiopia and I've lived with Ethiopian migrants in West Africa. The texture of Ethiopian hair varies but it is generally softer and curlier than Bantu hair. I went to boarding school with a lot of Ehtiopian boys and it was mandatory for all of us boys to shave our hair. The Ethiopian boys were constantly in the barbershop because they had mini afros in less than a month.
I really don't know much about hair types but how do you know Zahara's hair type? has that information been made public? or are you simply guessing based on the pictures you've senn?
Also, I do know that all black people in America are always group into one category: black American/African-American. However, that does not make it right. To me, that's like going to Asia and saying that every Asian person is Chinese. It's nothing new but it is grossly ignorant. I think it is wrong to refer to Zahara as an African American because she is not. She is Ethiopian America.
Hi Afrika,
I just didn't care for the generalization. I too, am very well acquainted with Ethiopians (I have Amhara family members by marriage etc.) and recognize that their hair is varied. I agree that a number of them do have type 3b or 3c hair (which is what you call "curly, wavy"), but there is also a fair representation of 4a hair types (which is tighter curls/coils). **You can just google the hair types to get an idea of them, if you're so inclined**.
Maybe you didn't intend to phrase it in this fashion, but it sounded as if you were saying Zahara's hair was tidy BECAUSE it was "curly, wavy" as opposed to a tighter texture. And that assertion was really what got me typing.
Lol, and unless you're a West African from Cameroon, you don't even live near Bantus. So, how can you make a generalization about "Bantu hair"? I understood what you were getting at. But, again, I just don't think it's good to make broad-brushed generalizations.
The Ethiopian "migrants" you speak of, do you mean immigrants or West African, nomadic groups you believe are derived from Ethios? Just curious. Thanks
Anonymous
I said Ethiopian hair is "generally" more curlier which means "usually" or "commonly"…not "always". So how is that a generalization of Bantu hair? The truth is Ethiopians and Somalians usually have more softer and curlier hair than other black people. That's not even something we should arguing about because it is a FACT. I don't get how saying that means I am somehow insulting black hair with a tighter texture. I have black hair with a tighter texture and I think it's dope. I rock my mini fro all the time and I get compliments from so many people. Having softer hair than me doesn't mean you have better hair than me. It simply means black hair comes in "varieties". This was the problem I had with the author of that article because he or she kept stressing about Zahara's "African American hair". Just because she is black doesn't mean she is one specific type of hair. Even African Americans have different hair types. Just like whites and asians, blacks also come in different shapes, sizes and textures.
and just so you know, I have lived in CAMEROON…for a hefty chunk of my life.
My final word on this topic.
There isn't anything wrong with Z's hair. It looks beautiful and healthy. BTW Jolie-Pitt mentioned that they use products from Carol's Daughter on her hair… They are even mentioned on Carol's website.
I didn't see anything wrong with Zahara's hair. It's kinky and coily and it doesn't what it supposed to do…stand up. Zahara probably don't know the difference with her hair right now b/c Jolie-Pitt doesn't make a big deal about what her hair looks like. Its us (black women) who make a big deal about OUR hair and what other black women hair looks like. I'm sure Zahara will notice later in life why her hair is different than her mother's but right now she's 4. Leave her hair alone.
Afrika,
Ethiopia is in AFRICA. THE girl is AFRICAN!!! To say she is not African American is drawing really reaching.
I (kind of) understand where the author is coming from when talking about Zahara's hair because there are many photos where her hair doesn't as healthy as it does in the image you have posted.
The Newsweek article was…entertaining. That's it. I don't have a problem with the Afro's at LV, and I don't understand why anyone would. I just did a post on Lara Stone and that foolishness at French Vogue on my blog…get over there to see the REAL history. =)