Tyra Banks: 'I Was Snubbed For Being Black & Curvy'

Tyra Banks has slammed the fashion industry, claiming that she was ostracized because of her skin colour and size.

The catwalk supremo, and now talk show host, believes that it was more difficult for her than other wannabes to become a success because she didn’t fit into most people’s idea of the conventional model beauty.

She even accuses a number of designers of blacklisting her, telling the New York Times magazine: "My biggest obstacle was that I was black and curvy," adding that her agency had a list of "designers who will not book Tyra because of hips and breasts."

The 34-year-old claims modelling bosses tried to convince her mother to put her on a diet - but she refused: "My mother told me the whole thing as we were walking down the street in Milan.

"She said, 'They say you're too curvy. Let's go order pizza.' We walked into a pizzeria, and we discussed a career change."