Contest for black models held in Salvador on June 15th

Contest for black models held in Salvador on June 15th

Note from BW of Brazil: Although I am well aware that many people see these types of contests as frivolous, unnecessary and even exploitative displays of corpos negros (black beauties), I see the importance of such shows perhaps outweighing the criticisms. In a place such as Brazil, where black identity has been so fragmented and undermined, I see the value in these types of competitions. One, because the focus is specifically black beauty. In a country where whiteness continues to be considered the “gold standard” in terms of beauty in many colonized minds, seeing a competition in which ONLY black beauty is on display can instill in the contestants a sense of seeing beauty in their own rather than being forced to acquiesce to the European standard.

Two, Salvador is a city in which the Africanity cannot be ignored. The body, as well as the soul of the city is permeated with blackness. And with such a large black population, Ilê Aiyê’s yearly Ebony Goddess contest should not be the only time of year that baianos negros (black Bahians) can be able to see the beauty of their people on display.

Three, I can’t possibly keep up with all of the people who express their opinion that the black population continues to be plagued with a deep adoration of whiteness and white bodies. If black people cannot break these psychological chains that have dominated our minds for more than five centuries, true freedom can never be possible. So, if the display of black bodies can play a role in the liberation of the black mind, I have no problem with it. Again, there can never be any construction of any black power if black people don’t value and see the beauty in the essence of o povo negro (the black people).

The contest actually took place about a week and a half ago, but I still wanted to present the event to followers of BW of Brazil.  

Contest for black models will be held in Salvador next Saturday (15)

Winners of the 21st edition of Beleza Black (Black Beauty) will parade at Afro Fashion Day 2019

With the objective of valuing black culture and beauty, especially in the fashion world and in the advertising market of Salvador, the Beleza Black Contest will present its 21st edition. This year, the theme is África Negra da Bahia (Black Africa of Bahia). The event, promoted by the agency One Models, will be held on Saturday (15), at 7:00 pm, at the Teatro Jorge Amado, in Pituba. Tickets cost BRL 30, with advance sales at the agency One Models Bahia, on Avenida ACM, 2573, Brotas (room 1204).

The parade, which will open with music and dance, is being put on by the contest’s coordinator Pepê Santos. There are 32 men and 28 women competing for the title in the Adult category, aged 18 and over. There will be one winner per sex. The finalists represent neighborhoods of Salvador or municipalities of Bahia and will parade with costumes provided by brands that support the event: Black Attitude, Negrif, Incid, Cantinho de Africa, Dendezeiro e Meninos Rei.

The evaluation will be made by 12 jurors, who are opinion makers and professionals in the areas of fashion, aesthetics, communication, performing arts, as well as former contest participants. Criteria such as posture, walk, sympathy, plastic, resourcefulness, aesthetics and beauty. The agency One Models Bahia will hand over an individual award of BRL 1,000 (in products) for the Adult category, in addition to a one-year contract with the company.

Afro Fashion Day

The winners of the Adult Black Beauty category will parade at this year’s Afro Fashion Day. Names that have already parade on the blackest runway in the country came out of the One Models contest, such as the model Priscila Santiago, who was Miss Bahia 2013, the model Gabriel Pitta, who paraded for three brands at São Paulo Fashion Week 2019, and Adryelhe Peixoto, elected Miss Brasil 2018. The Correio event is held in celebration of the month of Black Consciousness and has already entered the fashion calendar of the Bahian capital.

On Saturday, June 1, the Beleza Black winners were announced in the categories Baby (3 and 4 years), Nursery (5 and 6 years), Mini (7 years), Child (between 8 and 10 years), Pre Teen (11 and 12 years), Teen (13 to 15 years old) and Juvenile (16 to 18 years). The announcement was made at an event at the Hotel Sol Bahia Sleep, in the neighborhood of Patamares. A few of the 2019 winners are featured in the photos above along with the 2018 male and female adult winners.

Source: Correio 24 Horas