Essence Magazine Hires White Fashion Director

26 Jul Essence Magazine Hires White Fashion Director

Word on the e-streets is that the Essence fashion department has been in shambles for quite some time now. The magazine was finally able to hire someone that they felt was qualified to handle the demands of the position. The thing is, she’s white.

Elianna Placas seems qualified. She worked for O: The Oprah Magazine and US Weekly. I’m sure she has loads of contacts.

Longtime readers and even some former employees are upset because a white women was hired at a magazine that was created for black women because at one time no magazine would feature us.

Placas will make her debut in Essence’s 40thAnniversary issue in September.

Former fashion director and Editor-in-chief at Vibe magazine Michaela angela Davis tweeted on Friday, “It is with a heavy heart that I’ve learned Essence magazine has engaged a white Fashion Director. It hurts, literally.”

She goes on to say on her Facebook wall that, “The fashion industry historically been so hostile to black people- especially women. The 1 sea reserved for black women once held by Susan Taylor, Ionia Dunn-Lee, Harriet Cole (+me) is now- I can’t. It’s a dark day for me. How do you feel?”

Davis brings up some interesting and thought provoking points. On one hand, if the magazine’s fashion department was struggling and this woman has the contacts to bring more money in and pull things together, then clap clap bravo. On the other hand, it is quite sad that it took a white woman to get the chance to make things right again. I feel like something like this was bound to happen though since Time Warner owns the magazine.

It does seem like the end of an era though. How do you feel about this? Will you still support Essence?