Supermodels Iman and Naomi Campbell and fashion icon Bethann Hardison visit Good Morning America to defend their letter to the governing bodies of each fashion capital, where they condemn designers for participating in virtually exiling women of color from runways. Former model Hardison, who is leading the initiative, explained that the issue isn’t necessarily about race. “This isn’t even about racism, it’s to do with a sense of laziness,” the now fashion activist said. “I think that they’re ignorant and they’re arrogant.”

Iman expressed the same sentiment. “This is not the business of shaming. As we go back to clarify this, no one is calling any of these designers racist. The act itself is racist. There were more black models working in the Seventies than there are in 2013. This a time where silence is not acceptable at all. If the conversation cannot be had publicly in our industry, then there is something inherently wrong.”

The London Council of Fashion responded to the accusatory note by saying that London is one of the most multicultural cities in the world and that demographic is reflected at their shows.

However, Naomi Campbell argued that designers are needed to be more impartial when looking at the different ideals of beauty. “They hide behind an aesthetic; they see an aesthetic as this [one vision].”

Watch the full interview above.