A black model takes to the catwalk for Luella at London Fashion Week, but the prospects for black models in Brazil are not as promising.

A black model takes to the catwalk for Luella at London Fashion Week, but the prospects for black models in Brazil are not as promising.

Sao Paulo Fashion Week has been hit by claims that too few black or mixed race models are taking part but now Brazilian prosecutors and organisers of the event have struck a deal, the BBC reports.

Fashion brands must now make sure that 10% of the models used in their catwalk shows are of African or Indigenous descent. If organisers fail to comply they could be fined over $120,000.

An investigation revealed that last year just eight of the 344 models in Fashion Week were black. That is just 2.3%.

Almost half of the Brazilian population are black or mixed race and the country has more people of African descent than anywhere else outside Africa.

However the issue of race is still a big issue in the country and black Brazilian models say it is often easier to get work abroad.


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