Here are the photographs of Naomi Campbell in  the historic Vogue Italia July 2008  featuring all black models.  Steven Meisel shot these exquisite photographs for the special issue, fulfilling the vision of Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani.

Inside Franca Sozzani’s office the air is cool and rarefied – as it should be around the editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia, widely considered the most avant-garde of the Vogue titles. Sozzani is currently causing a skirmish in the world of fashion by publishing its first-ever all-black issue.

As a stand against the “white-out” of black models in the industry – fashion lore decrees that black faces on covers don’t sell, while black women are rarely used in advertising – Sozzani has labelled July’s front cover “A Black Issue”, and featured a line-up of the world’s most famous black models, including Naomi Campbell, Iman and Jourdan Dunn, the 17 year old Londoner discovered last year in Primark.

“The idea came to me six months ago,” she says in heavily accented English. “We were trying to think of something new, Obama was fighting Hillary, and I began to notice that all these girls at fashion shows looked alike. It occurred to me that it would be interesting to see some different girls, black girls, and that was the beginning of the story.”

The mention of Naomi Campbell – who has campaigned for years to get black models used in magazines – provokes a wry smile. “God, I’ve known her for 20 years. She is stunning, and hers is not a problem of skin, it’s a problem of temperament: sometimes she’s excessive, and can be aggressive, but she definitely has character. She will always be the same. I can’t see her ever changing.”

Source: Naomi Campbell, Iman and Jourdan Dunn grace Vogue Italia’s all black issue

Photo Credit: Steven Meisel/Vogue Italy

Photos via Superficial Diva - Naomi Campbell Vogue Italia All Black Issue which has three additional topless photos of Naomi Campbell from the Vogue Italia July 2008 issue.

See related posts on Italian Vogue’s groundbreaking all black issue:

• Vogue Italia’s History-Making July Issue Will Feature All Black Models
• Photos: Preview of “Vogue” Italia July 2008 All Black Models Issue

Photos: Naomi Campbell Vogue Italia July 2008 All Black Models Issue