V magazine’s new “Asia” issue comes out during a time when all-black and all-Asian model editorials appear in shocking frequency in fashion magazines. Can the magazine celebrate the Asian high fashion explosion with having the denigrating “ra ra China” tone that many Western media outlets can’t seem to avoid? The issue includes Kate Moss’ interview (this parenthetical break is for you to absorb that concept) with Shanghai Tang founder David Tang; an interview with actress Nancy Kwan, who just made a documentary about her career, telling V, “Minorities still have a hard and very difficult time getting work here. Especially Asians. Asian women over 40? Forget it.” The issue also features “collage of Dolce & Gabbana’s journey East,” starring Naomi Campbell; and a story about Diane Von Furstenberg’s trip to China for a charity benefit. So, Fashion, meet China! China, meet Fashion?
V also devoted a couple of editorials to the hottest Asian models working today, which you can see in the slideshow. And now that Fashion has had a nice warm sweaty handshake with China, it would be nice if it could stop treating the Asians as such a thing. But it’s hard to imagine fashion’s befuddling relationship with racial diversity ending any time soon. Anyway, click on for the pretty pictures.
