The feud between supermodels Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks started around the early 1990s. Campbell had been modeling since the late 1980s, serving as a couture model for high fashion designers, walking runways in Milan and Paris.
She was one of the first black models to appear on American Vogue’s and Paris Vogue’s covers. Campbell became part of the holy fashion trinity alongside supermodels Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington.
Banks entered the scene in 1991, making her runway debut during Paris Fashion Week. Banks would lend her skills to Covergirl, Victoria’s Secret, and Sports Illustrated. It became a battle over high fashion and mainstream modeling.
Campbell was comfortable being among the few black women in high fashion. At the same time, Banks took notes out of Cindy Crawford’s playbook, looking to expand her brand and turn herself into a business.
Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell were always compared to each other
The two models would appear in photoshoots together. Still, it was apparent that Campbell wasn’t thrilled about Banks being dubbed “the next Naomi,” a line published by The Toronto Star in 1993. It was reported that Campbell went as far as threatening designers and model management companies to cancel Banks from shows and contracts.
It even went as far as Tyra leaving Elite Model Management to Join IMG Models due to Campbell pressuring its founder John Casablancas to drop Banks.
So, where do they stand now?
Campbell recalls Banks being a mean girl, suggesting that she likes to play the victim. But Banks told the Wall Street Journal, “As much as I was booking every single fashion show, people didn’t know I was going home at night crying my eyes out because a woman that I was looking up to seemed like she just didn’t want me to be there and was doing everything in her power to make me go away.” She also said that despite all the drama, she would like to bury the beef.
During the lockdown, some fans changed their views on Banks being the victim after Hulu released old episodes of her show America’s Next Top Model. In numerous episodes, Banks can be seen asking models to change their natural looks and shaming them for their personal life choices. Some say that this was done to spice up the show, but others agree with Campbell, saying that Banks is not the angel everyone paints her out to be.
Despite all the drama, it’s incredible to see two black women reach this level of success, given all the adversity women of color faced during the early days of modeling. They both paved the way for women of color in the fashion industry.
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