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People are taking part in the 'Vogue challenge' to promote diversity in fashion

The viral trend highlights the lack of representation in parts of the fashion industry (Getty Images)
The viral trend highlights the lack of representation in parts of the fashion industry (Getty Images)

This month’s issue of British Vogue has been praised for swapping out models and celebrities in favour of three key workers on its front cover.

Now, regular people around the world have been taking part in the #VogueChallenge which sees them grace their own stunning “covers”.

The viral social media trend was sparked by Oslo-based student Salma Noor who shared online a black and white image of herself taken by photographer Angèlique Culvin with the Vogue logo.

Its cover line “being Black is not a crime” aligned it with the current Black Lives Matter movement - and people have been following her lead in order to promote greater diversity in the models and photographers the fashion industry uses.

Read more: Meghan Markle's 'Forces For Change' was a 'movement not a moment', says Vogue editor Edward Enniful

Speaking to American Vogue, Noor explained: “I am a Black, young Muslim woman who wanted to create something new while speaking on something that is very important.

“I chose Vogue because it’s the standard one strives to reach, and it is one of my favourite magazines.

“I was happy to see so many beautiful faces and talented photographers like Angelique that don’t get enough credit for their hard work.

“I would [also] like to see more models of different ethnicities and skin colours, [exposure for] those without a big platform.”

Read more: Idris Elba celebrates making history with wife as 'first African couple to cover British Vogue'

Now, other creatives - including photographers and models - have been giving the challenge a go, and sharing the amazing results on Instagram and Twitter.

While people have been having a lot of fun turning themselves into their own covers stars, many pointed out the important purpose behind the trend.

One person wrote: “Reminder: #VogueChallenge is not an art challenge but a trend to uplift and amplify black creatives voices' in response to Anna Wintour's ‘hasn't found enough ways to elevate and give space to black creators’ statement despite being Vogue US editor in chief for three decades.”

Another commented: “The #VogueChallenge is truly beautiful to see. It isn't enough to have JUST Black models on the cover of Vogue.

Read more: Fashion designer Jacquemus uses his grandmother to model latest campaign

“There should be space for Black photographers to bring these stories to life. In Vogue's 125 year history there has been one Black photographer to photograph a cover.”

For the September 2018 cover of American Vogue, photographer Tyler Mitchell shot Beyonce.

It comes as British Vogue featured Narguis Horsford, a train driver on the London Overground, Rachel Millar, a community midwife in east London and Anisa Omar, a supermarket worker in King’s Cross for its July issue.

The women were captured by photographer Jamie Hawkesworth as part of a 20-page portfolio for the magazine, and each spoke to the publication to reveal their experiences of working throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

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