New Delhi (Sputnik) - A 19-year-old Indian model, Naomi Janumala, has been signed for Rihanna’s Fenty beauty line.
As the singer’s luxury label is said to be all about inclusivity, the ‘brown skinned’ model from Mumbai seized the opportunity and has been hailed on social media by ordinary Indians and fashionistas alike.
Rihanna’s signing of Naomi is particularly significant as recently, organisers of an Indian beauty pageant were slammed for their fair skin obsession - all 30 women competing in the contest were fair skinned.
— Grazia India (@GraziaIndia) June 27, 2019
Thus, netizens were enthralled with the news of a brown-skinned girl being the face of a campaign for a brand as big as Fenty.
Social media users cheered Naomi’s success, exclaiming that the definition of beauty in India has gone beyond the colour of someone's skin.
— Christeena (@the_christeena) June 26, 2019
— Zoom TV (@ZoomTV) June 25, 2019
— sambit jena (@sambitdj) June 25, 2019
— anika sharma (@anikadas) June 24, 2019
Users also hailed Rihanna for her diversified selection.
— Asian Woman Festival (@AsianWomanFest) June 24, 2019
Following severe backlash to the societal obsession with fair skin, in 2014, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) issued a ruling that banned commercials depicting those of darker skin as “unattractive, unhappy, depressed or concerned”.
Defying the objectionable ‘fair and lovely’ concept of beauty, Naomi, who is the niece of famous Bollywood actor Johnny Lever, comes as a breath of fresh air to the Indian fashion scene.