Native American Models
Native American models are becoming a force to reckon with in the fashion industry today. Native American fashion as well has established itself as being both serious and sought after all over the world. Native American models are often preferred because of their unique skin tone and bone structure, which suits a wide range of fashions.
A number of factors have opened new doors to Native American models today. Television shows like America’s Next Top Model featured a number of beautiful and talented young women, all vying for the top spot. Many of these women were Native American or shared a Native American heritage, such as past winner Naima Mora. However, despite having so many things working in their favor, many Native American models face a number of surprising hurdles on the path to their success.
Not Native Enough
While using Native American models in shoots has become more prevalent, some models have been turned down because they did not ‘look native enough’, a surprising factor that points to stereotypes that still exist within the industry. This can be a discouraging factor for a number of young models, as Native American looks and features are wide and varied.
Some Native American fashion houses offer employment exclusively to Native American models, such as the Rez Dog Clothing Company, Native Threads or the ReZolution clothing line. These outlets not only provide clothing that caters to Native American tastes, it gives youngsters incentive and the inspiration to strive for a career in the fashion industry.
Some of the top models in the world today have some Native American blood in them. Tiffany Fallon, Angie Harmon, Terri Kimball, Karen McDougal, Linda Moon, Kenya Moore, Tracee Ellis Ross and Brenda Schad have all made their marks as successful models in the fashion industry. Native American models have established themselves as a force to reckon with in the world of fashion, on the catwalk and as designers as well.
