First, “slave jewelry” was hot in Italian Vogue. Then, Rihanna was dubbed de n*ggab*tch by a Dutch fashion magazine. Now, French Elle has attempted to deliver a compliment to the Obamas, while throwing shade at the sartorial selections of the entire black community. Yes, you. And you too. In an article called “Black Fashion Power,” Nathalie Dolivo suggests black people are dressing well and paying attention to fashion, thanks to the well-dressed Obamas.

Dolivo puts her pied in le mouth by saying:

In this America led for the first time a black president, the chic has become a plausible option for a community so far pegged to its codes [of] streetwear … But if in 2012 the “black-geoisie” has integrated all the white codes, it does not [do so] literally. [There] is always a classic twist, with a bourgeois ethnic reference (a batik-printed turban/robe, a shell necklace, a ‘créole de rappeur’) that recalls the roots.

Dolvio’s article makes it seem like black people have to take their style cues from whites when everybody knows (*Phaedra voice*) that fashion designers have long looked to the inner-city and black community for new trends.

The original article was posted on January 13th and got so much negative feedback that French Elle has since removed it and issued this apology.
Translated (via Google)

Following the outcry and the many comments received on the article Fashion Black Power, we decided to remove it from the site. If this article could offend or hurt people we are deeply sorry for it was not our intention, however. We deeply regret the misunderstanding. The debate has nevertheless been launched and it will allow us to enrich our journalism. See you soon on ELLE.fr and IT to continue this discussion.

Valerie Toranian, Managing Editor of ELLE

A fashion magazine in a country so rich with black people from various places completely missed the mark on the style of black folks. My people have been dressing well, setting trends and taking fashion seriously since before churches had pews!

Image via Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images
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