Transgender model sacked by L'Oreal in race row hired by rival beauty firm

Munroe Bergdorf has been hired by British firm Illamasqua
Munroe Bergdorf has been hired by British firm Illamasqua Credit: Getty

A transgender model sacked by L’Oréal for an outburst on social media about racism has been hired by a rival cosmetic company.

British firm Illamasqua announced on Wednesday that Munroe Bergdorf would be the face of its new campaign based around gender fluidity.

“Munroe embodies diversity and individuality,” Illamasqua said a statement to the Guardian. “She is not scared to be truly herself. But Munroe doesn’t just stop there. She speaks out about the issues that affect not just her but the rest of our generation, seeking to improve the society we live in.”

Excited to announce that I'm one of the faces of the next @illamasqua campaign. #illamafia

A post shared by Munroe Bergdorf (@munroebergdorf) on

Ms Bergdorf, who is from London, said she was “excited” to be part of the new Illamasqua campaign. “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything,” she wrote on Instagram. 

The 30-year-old’s contract with L’Oréal came to an end after a matter of days this month when she said in a now-deleted Facebook post: “Most of ya’ll don’t even realise or refuse to acknowledge that your existence, privilege and success as a race is built on the backs, blood and death of people of colour. Your entire existence is drenched in racism.

"Once white people begin to admit that their race is the most violent and oppressive force of nature on Earth… then we can talk.”

Munroe Bergdorf was sacked by L'Oreal
Munroe Bergdorf was sacked by L'Oreal Credit: Rex

The French company said her comments were “at odds” with their values. 

The sacking of Ms Bergdorf, who was the company’s first transgender representative, led to black model and DJ Clara Amfo quitting a L’Oreal campaign in solidarity.

Ms Bergdorf later said she had made the comments in response to last month’s events at Charlottesville, where a protest by white supremacists erupted in violence, leading to the death of a woman. 

"When I stated that 'all white people are racist', I was addressing that fact that western society as a whole, is a SYSTEM rooted in white supremacy - designed to benefit, prioritise and protect white people before anyone of any other race. Unknowingly, white people are SOCIALISED to be racist from birth onwards. It is not something genetic. No one is born racist,” she said at the time.

License this content