Fashion designer Zac Posen: ‘Black models matter’

Haimy Assefa, CNN
2 minute read
Published 7:45 PM EST, Thu February 18, 2016
Models walk the runway wearing Ralph Lauren's fall 2016 line during New York Fashion Week. Here are scenes from the nine-day event in New York City, which showcases upcoming fashions from the world's leading designers.
Models walk the runway wearing Ralph Lauren's fall 2016 line during New York Fashion Week. Here are scenes from the nine-day event in New York City, which showcases upcoming fashions from the world's leading designers.
JP Yim/Getty Images
Lily Aldridge, Irina Shayk, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Karlie Kloss, Jourdan Dunn, Elsa Hosk and Alanna Arrington (left to right) pose in Diane Von Furstenberg's fall 2016 show.
Lily Aldridge, Irina Shayk, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Karlie Kloss, Jourdan Dunn, Elsa Hosk and Alanna Arrington (left to right) pose in Diane Von Furstenberg's fall 2016 show.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
A model walks the runway at the Victoria Beckham fall/winter 2016 fashion show. The former Spice Girl launched her womenswear label in 2008 and has grown it into a thriving empire.
A model walks the runway at the Victoria Beckham fall/winter 2016 fashion show. The former Spice Girl launched her womenswear label in 2008 and has grown it into a thriving empire.
Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
Fashion designer Michael Kors makes an energetic entrance onto the runway at his line's fall/winter 2016 show. Kors' company, launched in 1981, makes a wide range of men's and women's clothes, accessories, footwear, watches, jewelry, eyewear and fragrances.
Fashion designer Michael Kors makes an energetic entrance onto the runway at his line's fall/winter 2016 show. Kors' company, launched in 1981, makes a wide range of men's and women's clothes, accessories, footwear, watches, jewelry, eyewear and fragrances.
Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
A model shows off a furry coat at the Vera Wang fall/winter 2016 fashion show. Wang's glamorous evening wear has been worn by everyone from Sandra Bullock to Michelle Obama.
A model shows off a furry coat at the Vera Wang fall/winter 2016 fashion show. Wang's glamorous evening wear has been worn by everyone from Sandra Bullock to Michelle Obama.
Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
A model displays an ensemble by Altuzarra, a luxury women's ready-to-wear brand launched in New York by designer Joseph Altuzarra in 2008.
A model displays an ensemble by Altuzarra, a luxury women's ready-to-wear brand launched in New York by designer Joseph Altuzarra in 2008.
JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
A model walks the runway at the Alexander Wang autumn/winter 2016 fashion show. Wang (no relation to Vera Wang) is a young American designer who favors a black palette and whose lines are stocked in more than 700 stores around the globe.
A model walks the runway at the Alexander Wang autumn/winter 2016 fashion show. Wang (no relation to Vera Wang) is a young American designer who favors a black palette and whose lines are stocked in more than 700 stores around the globe.
Catwalking/Getty Images
A model walks the runway wearing Yigal Azrouel's fall 2016 line. An Israeli-American designer, Azrouel launched his first line in New York almost two decades ago.
A model walks the runway wearing Yigal Azrouel's fall 2016 line. An Israeli-American designer, Azrouel launched his first line in New York almost two decades ago.
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
A parade of models stroll the runway at the Proenza Schouler show at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Proenza Schouler is a New York-based womenswear brand founded in 2002 by designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, who named it after their mothers' maiden names.
A parade of models stroll the runway at the Proenza Schouler show at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Proenza Schouler is a New York-based womenswear brand founded in 2002 by designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, who named it after their mothers' maiden names.
JP Yim/Getty Images
A model displays Opening Ceremony's fall 2016 line. The Opening Ceremony brand was founded in 2002 by two friends from UC Berkeley, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon.
A model displays Opening Ceremony's fall 2016 line. The Opening Ceremony brand was founded in 2002 by two friends from UC Berkeley, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon.
JP Yim/Getty Images
Models walk the runway wearing Rodarte's fall 2016 line. The American luxury label was founded by Kate and Laura Mulleavy in Los Angeles in 2005 and is known for intricately crafted, multi-layered clothes.
Models walk the runway wearing Rodarte's fall 2016 line. The American luxury label was founded by Kate and Laura Mulleavy in Los Angeles in 2005 and is known for intricately crafted, multi-layered clothes.
JP Yim/Getty Images
Models work the runway during the Zac Posen fall 2016 fashion show. Posen's designs have been worn on the red carpet by such stars as Sofia Vergara and Reese Witherspoon, and he is currently redesigning the uniforms for Delta Air Lines' employees.
Models work the runway during the Zac Posen fall 2016 fashion show. Posen's designs have been worn on the red carpet by such stars as Sofia Vergara and Reese Witherspoon, and he is currently redesigning the uniforms for Delta Air Lines' employees.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
New York Fashion Week 2016

Story highlights

Zac Posen picked majority black female models for Fashion Week show

Posen's new line was inspired by a Ugandan princess

Diversity is key in Posen's collections, he says

New York CNN  — 

Black models matter: Fashion designer Zac Posen made that bold statement during New York Fashion Week.

Indeed, 25 of the 33 models chosen for Posen’s runway show were black women, including Tasha Moore and Viviane Oliveira.

On Monday, Posen posted a photo of himself on Instagram holding a bag embossed with the words “Black models matter.” The photo caption read, “#BlackModelsMatter #womanofcolormatter #Diversity is what makes the world beautiful and inspiring!”

The bag was made by Ashley B. Chew, a black model and artist, and plays off the rallying cry chanted nationwide last year by demonstrators protesting police shootings of unarmed African-American men.

Not only were the models black, but so was the inspiration behind Posen’s Fall/Spring line: Ugandan Princess Elizabeth of Toro.

His royal muse studied law at Oxford, modeled for Vogue and represented her country at the United Nations, Posen said in a statement. He chose to close his fall 2016 collection with Ugandan model Aamito Lagum for that reason.

“Since the inspiration was Elizabeth of Toro it made sense to have a casting reflecting this,” Posen said. “Their presence and the diversity of the casting complimented the collection and made it more striking.”

A majority of the 33 models who walked designer Zac Posen's runway show this week were black women.
A majority of the 33 models who walked designer Zac Posen's runway show this week were black women.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Posen, who launched his self-titled collections in 2001, posted several photos of black models on Instagram as part of his “mood boards.”

Posen’s team worked with casting directors Maida and Rami to find models that would “embody Elizabeth’s elegance and intelligence,” he said.

“Within this global environment - diversity is very important and it is something that has always been equally important to me as well as a key component of my collections whether it is shapes, sizes or skin color,” said Posen.

In an industry that is often criticized for the lack of diversity, Posen said, it is “essential” that diversity is represented in the fashion world.

Posen’s designs have been worn by some big names, such as first lady Michelle Obama and actresses Naomi Watts and Uma Thurman.