I’m no fashion expert nor would I expect a large percentage of the Nation to be into fashion magazines.  However one could not help but notice the great disparity between black models who grace the covers of these rags to their white counterparts.  For years publishers have backed off advocacy groups stating that the statistics show that black cover models don’t sell. However Italian Vogue magazine may have discredited this age old argument.

This month, the British publication released what they called its “black” issue and according to The Guardian the issue has caused such a demand at news-stands that publisher Condé Nast has printed and distributed 40,000 more copies. The issue, which was the brainchild of editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani, sold out in Britain from jump and according to Borders bookstores the demand for the issue was up 654% from the rags previous issue.

“I’ve been watching the news-stands since the beginning. There are lines of women when they hear of a new shipment,” says Kenya Hunt, the young black style editor of Metro International News in New York. “The news-stand guys are hustling, locking it up in the back and charging $25, $28, when the real price is $16. Yesterday, I saw it on eBay for $50. There is a climate shift. This is the year of the presidential election. And this at a time when magazine sales are really hurting.”

I believe its safe to say that black is back…black is beautiful and black is in-style.  I don’t know how much Barack Obama had to do with it or perhaps he’s simply benefited from the trend but its very clear to see.  I believe Hip Hop and the presence of more black stars in the mainstream have had something to do with it. Even in the UK one of the hottest celebs is Mel B.  Whose more gorgeous than her right now?  Its a good time to be black…lets hope that it translates into more social equity because there certainly still remains a great disparity regardless of what region of the world you examine.  If you watched the “Black in America” special, you know what I’m talking about.

Shout: Lifesteez