Ethos, Patho: The Short Film The Color Of Beauty

Discrimination can take many forms and exist every aspect of society. After many years the fight against discrimination is still an ongoing process and for many it’s a daily struggle for many. The short documentary “The Color of beauty” examines the “blatant racism”(00:20) and discrimination that occurs within the fashion industry. The film revolves around Renee Thompson, an ethnic model trying to overcome the racism that exists in the fashion industry in order to make it on top. In today’s modernizing fashion has become a powerful driving force. The film, argues issue that Caucasian models are preferred over colored models, which is evident with the ratio of colored model to Caucasian models in most fashion choice. The film also points out that the difficulty colored models face due to a biased standard that the fashion industry has on beauty. It argues that more often or not, if a colored model is chosen, it’s due to his/her “unique” future. These so called “unique”(02:33) feature is common feature that many Caucasians. Elizabeth St. Philip, the director of the film, utilized a combination of logic, credibility, and emotional devices, in arguing and persuading an audience on the issue presented.

Analysis: The establishment of credibility through the complementary use of Ethos,
Philip, examines the racism that occurs in the fashion industry. The film opens with various shots of Renee modeling, ending with her strong statement regarding the “blatant racism” in the fashion industry; allowing for the establishment of initial credibility (00:00-00:50). The director, Elizabeth St. Philip, tries to establish a connection with the audience by presenting Rene’s perspective and personal experiences. By simply being a black model in the fashion industry, her personal experiences regarding racism in the fashion industry are a powerful tool in strengthening the credibility (ethos) of the director’s