One of fashion’s most recognizable faces, Campbell has long spoken of discrimination in the industry where she has worked for 33 years.
The 49-year-old Campbell was the first black model to appear on the covers of French Vogue and Time magazine. She was also the first black model on the cover of American Vogue’s key September issue.
Asked how the industry had changed, Campbell said: “In so many ways, but most importantly the diversity. It’s finally … sunken in but now we hope people don’t think it’s in for a trend, like clothes are in for a season and out for a season, that’s not going to happen.”
“It’s improved absolutely, I can’t say it hasn’t. I do think there’s always more room for improvement … There’s still some ways to go,” she added referring to equal pay.
Campbell began her career as a teenager and has modeled for fashion heavyweights, such as Versace, Chanel, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, among many others. She has also championed African designers and co-produced April’s Arise Fashion Week in Lagos, Nigeria.
Asked if African designers were finally getting recognition, she said: “We’re on our way, we’re not there yet, but we’re getting the platform … they deserve to have.”
On designer labels improving their green credentials as public environmental awareness grows, Campbell said most brands were “very aware of sustainability.”
“I feel that everyone is consciously aware now and trying to do their part. It’s amazing, you go on set now to do shoots and it has to be a non-plastic shoot.”
One of the five major supermodels of the early 1990s, Campbell has featured on the covers of more than 500 magazines. However she wrote in this month’s British Vogue she only recently began feeling more at ease in her own skin.
