Vogue’s first Black cover model, Beverly Johnson, calls on magazine for ‘structural changes’

When Beverly Johnson became the first Black model to be photographed for the cover of Vogue in 1974, she believed the historic feature would “usher in a current of change in the fashion industry.” Instead, she says that racial inequality and discrimination are still very much a part of the fashion world’s makeup, and that it’s long overdue for change.In an article for the Washington Post, the 67-year-old (who was also the first Black woman to appear on the cover of the French edition of Elle) writes that racism is still an “ugly part of the beauty business” and that she has been reproached many times in the past when asking for Black photographers, makeup artists or hairstylists. “Silence on race was then—and still is—the cost of admission to the fashion industry’s top echelons,” she adds.[video_embed id='1978423']RELATED: Anna Wintour will not be stepping down from Vogue[/video_embed]Even more specifically Johnson calls on Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour to, “Hold her peers in fashion accountable for making structural changes,” noting that she’s the “most powerful person in the world of fashion.” The article comes a week after Wintour apologized for Vogue’s lack of diversity in an address to her staff.“I want to start by acknowledging your feelings and expressing my empathy towards what so many of you are going through: sadness, hurt, and anger too,” Wintour wrote in a leaked memo. “I want to say this especially to the Black members of our team—I can only imagine what these days have been like. But I also know that the hurt, and violence, and injustice we’re seeing and talking about have been around for a long time. Recognizing it and doing something about it is overdue.”Wintour then committed to doing better, adding that, “It can’t be easy to be a Black employee at Vogue, and there are too few of you. I know that it is not enough to say we will do better, but we will—and please know that I value your voices and responses as we move forward.”Johnson thinks the editor can do even one better, by implementing what she calls the Beverly Johnson standard. “I propose the 'Beverly Johnson Rule' for Condé Nast, similar to the Rooney Rule in the NFL that mandates that a diverse set of candidates must be interviewed for any open coaching and front office position,” she writes. “The 'Beverly Johnson Rule' would require at least two black professionals to be meaningfully interviewed for influential positions.”In addition to running Vogue, Condé Nast owns Bon Appètit, Allure, GQ, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and Architectural Digest, among others. It was only a little over a week ago that Bon Appètit came under fire for its own systemic racism practices, when employees alleged only white editors were paid for their video appearances. The company has since denied the claims, but editor-in-chief Adam Rapoport did step down from his post.Wintour has confirmed she has no plans to step down from her post as EIC of Vogue and artistic director at Condé Nast, despite her memo and recent claims of emotional abuse form former bestie André Leon Talley in his new memoir. "As a global media company, Condé Nast is dedicated to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace,” the company said in a statement. “We have a zero-tolerance policy toward discrimination and harassment in any forms. Consistent with that, we go to great lengths to ensure that employees are paid fairly, in accordance with their roles and experience, across the entire company. We take the well-being of our employees seriously and prioritize a people-first approach to our culture."[video_embed id='1977788']BEFORE YOU GO: Sasha Exeter, Jessica Mulroney and white privilege[/video_embed]