Naomi Campbell reveals she cried over her 'grey face' on a 1988 Vogue Italia cover after a make-up artist said they had no foundation to suit her because they 'didn't know she was black'

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Naomi Campbell has revealed she cried over her 'grey face' on a 1988 cover of Italian Vogue, after the make-up artist admitted he had no foundation to suit her because they 'didn't know she was black'.

The supermodel, 50, said she had longed to be the face of the magazine 'so much', but the results of the photoshoot reduced her to tears.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour yesterday, Naomi told how she was thrilled to be asked to be the cover star of the June 1988 issue early in her career.

But upon arriving at the studio, she claims she was told by the make-up artist: 'Oh, we didn't know you were black.'

Naomi Campbell has revealed she cried over her 'grey face' on a 1988 cover of Italian Vogue (pictured), after the make-up artist admitted he had no foundation to suit her because they 'didn't know she was black'

'He said he didn't have the foundation for me,' Naomi recalled. 'He had to mix some colours that he had of foundations to make up his own colour, and that consisted of a lot of grey.

'When that cover came out, I just cried. I wanted so much to be on the cover of this publication... it was Italian Vogue actually. But I didn't want to be grey.'

Naomi has previously discussed this particular shoot in a Guardian article, in which she admitted from then onwards she always took her own foundation to photoshoots.

During the radio interview, the model went on to highlight how black women have been mistreated in the fashion industry. 

She said a lot of people at the beginning of her career tried to 'put her in a maid's outfit' and claims her hair was continually styled in dreadlocks. 

The supermodel, 50, pictured at the Fashion Awards in London in December, said she had longed to be the face of the magazine 'so much', but the results of the photoshoot reduced her to tears

Naomi added that she was stereotyped as a result of her race and often treated as a 'gimmick'.

'In general in the fashion industry, we have not had the seat at the table that we deserved,' she added.

'It's not equality and that's what has to happen in our business.'

She told how she was labelled 'difficult' when she pointed out the discrimination she experienced while on a job, but admitted she 'likes' the challenges she went through.

'They didn't squash me, they didn't silence me,' she said defiantly.

Speaking about women of colour, Naomi said: 'In general in the fashion industry, we have not had the seat at the table that we deserved.' Pictured at the pre-Grammy Gala in January 2020

Earlier this month, following the death of African American George Floyd in the US after a white police officer knelt on his neck, Naomi shared a powerful post on Instagram.

She posted a black and white photo of Floyd with the words he spoke to police officers as he was dying. 'Where does it end?' she questioned in her post. 

'I don't have the words. I'm sick and tired of this, tired of being sad about our people dying needlessly,' she wrote. 'Harassed and humiliated, in these challenging times, I thought we could come to together, but it seems like this coronavirus has bought out more racism in a major way... where does it end? I'm black and I'm proud.'

While appearing on Woman's Hour, Naomi also criticised the fact some models are now cast as a result of how many followers they have on Instagram, which in turn often sees them paid more.

Naomi Campbell recently admitted she is 'very happy' to be able to get to 50, in a reference to her past struggle with alcohol and drug addiction

She argued that 'true' fashion models should receive the same money as influencers.

'You see these Instagram girls who don’t care about our business, who slam doing fashion shows,' Naomi said. 'If you don’t care about the business, then don’t be in it.'  

Following her fiftieth birthday last month, the model said she was 'very happy' to reach the milestone, alluding to her past struggle with alcohol and drug addiction. 

Naomi told Daily Pop of her celebrations during lockdown: 'It was a surreal day. A surreal and serene day with social distancing with some friends. Just four of us. I'm very happy to get to 50.'

On her biggest challenge she finds herself facing during the coronavirus pandemic, Naomi said: 'The real challenges is I've had to do all these technical things, but in terms of my mind of physical wellbeing, it's not been a challenge at all.' 

When asked what trend should stay forever, the model replied: 'I wear what I want, when I want to wear it. On Sunday for instance, I wore a dress from the 1930s. You have to wear clothes and not let the clothes wear you.'