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“Hypocrisy is the mother of all evil and racial prejudice is still her favourite child.” ~Don King
Are we not all the same?
The question, Paulinah Eboh-Sampson creative director of Dolls of Decadence asks and answers with her latest collection campaign ‘The Monochrome Parallel’
“Since launching the Dolls of Decadence line back in 2010, with the collection DOLL DOMINATION – there has always an been an underlying message and a determination from me to help change the narrative for ethnic models in the fashion industry. It was no accident that, that campaign featured models from the B.A.M.E (Black, Asian & Minority ethnic) group and ethnic models has been consistently featured in the brands campaigns since….mostly subliminally, but now not so much- if at all. I don’t feel like apologising for using ethnic models or having to sugar coat the fact that this is something I consciously do”.
Her now blatant unapologetic stance on ethnic fashion models was made very clear with her 2017 WHITE GIRL collection campaign, where she controversially featured a single black model in garments created using a palette of white hues. The collection proved successful with Paulinah stating that the collection sold through well; confirming what she had always stated ‘Black girls do sell’. In turn, reversing the well versed notion in fashion, that ‘black girls don’t sell’
“I had been so nervous and scared about releasing the ‘White girl’ collection under that title. I actually, delayed its release because I was concerned of the back lash and how it would impact the line. I had had marketing personnel, who thought the collection title would be suicide for the brand and I did have people make comments that the ‘White girl’ collection was racist. But, I also had people who applauded it and congratulated me on having the guts to put it out there….and these were not only people from the ethnic minority”
Clearly her nervous disposition towards her last collection was not enough to stray her away from her message, as again this year she presents her latest instalment ‘The Monochrome Parallel’- it’s title make clear the racial connotations in the direction of the campaign. But, for those of you who need an explanation; Paulinah says on it :
“In life, irrespective of creed or colour we are all the same, in the fact that; we cry, we laugh, we love, we need love, feel pain, feel loss, sadness and so on. We are walking along the same parallel lines striving to achieve love, happiness and success”
The Monochrome Parallel by Paulinah Eboh-Sampson for DOLLS OF DECADENCE
Model: Olivia Forsbrook and Moe Makaya | Makeup: Chelsea Moore | Art direction/styling: Paulinah Eboh-Sampson | Photography: Talia White |
