Sao Paulo Fashion Week Protests over Race

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Brazil is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world—and Sao Paulo is statistically the most ethnically diverse city in Brazil. So, it would seem to follow logic that the runways at Sao Paulo Fashion Week would be, similarly, ethnically diverse. Not so. Fashionista reports: "Showgoers at Sao Paulo fashion week were greeted by a group of about a dozen protestors from non profit organization Educafro Brazil, who had chained themselves together in front of the Fundação Bienal (Sao Paulo fashion week’s official venue), to call for more black models on the catwalks in Brazil... As Educafro Brazil pointed out in their literature, the models do not reflect Brazil’s population, which is over 50% black... A regulation currently stipulates that 10% of models in each show at Sao Paulo fashion week are black. Educafro Brazil would like that number to be increased to 20%. In their pamphlet, the non profit puts forth that the 'current European standards upheld in fashion shows in Brazil' are 'unacceptable.'" [Fashionista]