Naomi Campbell has revealed she called Victoria Beckham in person at the height of the row over race discrimination in the fashion world.
Campbell, 43, launched a high-profile campaign to expose discrimination on the catwalk and identified Beckham’s company as being on the “accused of being guilty” list.
The former Spice Girl, 39, was said to be angry for being criticised for using only one non-white model in her 30-strong New York Fashion Week show and rejected any claims of racism.
Campbell said: “I called Victoria and I spoke to her. I don’t want to pinpoint anyone. It isn’t a blame game. Everyone’s name was on that letter because they’d done it. It could have been completely unintentional. She is one of the designers on there like anyone else.” The controversy erupted when Campbell, who is spearheading the anti-racism Diversity Coalition with David Bowie’s model wife Iman, wrote an open letter to fashion bosses in London, New York, Paris and Milan.
The letter pointed out that at New York Fashion Week only six per cent of models were black and nine per cent were Asian and that fewer black models are used now than in the Seventies.
It went on to list “fashion houses guilty of this racist act” including Victoria Beckham, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Chanel, Armani, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli and Marc by Marc Jacobs.
Campbell has defended her actions, saying: “There is no way to candy-coat this sort of thing. You have to be straight. We had the percentages and we were armed with the facts and you can’t be nervous about upsetting people. I speak the truth. People might not like it but I am doing it.”
A representative for Victoria Beckham declined to comment.
