Inclusion and Diversity in Fashion
In the new wave of fashion, both inclusion and diversity are two terms that can be thrown around in the same context. These terms are used over and over again, but there is an important difference within the industry. When one thinks about diversity, they can automatically assume inclusion as well. That is not the case. Looking at the fashion industry 30 years ago to today, there have been huge strides in becoming more diverse. We now see people of all races, age, and size, having a more diverse range of representation within the runway. The issue comes in with inclusion. Even though we see a diverse range, how inclusive it really is? Charlotte Williams speaks on the issue of diversity and inclusion.
“We need to look further than diversity on show, how many people of color and Black people were behind the scenes? Was there a make-up artist that has experience with darker skin tones, or a hairstylist that can work with afro hair and protective styles? Did the photographer understand the lighting needed to capture a darker skin tone properly?”
The two work hand in hand, we can have diversity but then need to focus on the second part, inclusion. To host a runway show, it goes beyond the models, and incorporates many people behind the scenes. How can a black female model be styled by a white female if she is uneducated on the process of that specific beauty. The diversity behind the scenes, will help lead to a more inclusive environment both beyond and in front of the runway.
We hit a wall extending beyond inclusion from purely just race, sex, and size. The fashion industry has increasingly lacked to provide inclusion for those with disabilities. Viewers of fashion who have a disability, oftentimes cannot relate to the shows because they do not see the inclusion on the runway. This is a ripple effect, people will start to feel more included once they see their representation on the runway. There are minimal high end brands that actually produce adaptive clothing. Tommy Hilfiger is the only high end designer investing in adaptive fashion. Especially in the time of COVID, survivors that are having long-term effects of COVID, leaving them in wheelchairs, have raised the amount of disabled people in the United States.
“This is going to create a radical change in the fashion industry, because there are a lot of people becoming disabled who weren’t before, and they’re realizing they’ve been completely left out of design decisions.”
Even with these small changes, we still need to acknowledge that what we see on the surface of diversity, does not correlate directly with inclusivity. Fashion Minority Alliance, a UK initiative, is a non-profit and non-partisan organization that works with business and brands to promote the diversity of BIPOC and marginalized individual's. Their goal is in order to push for intersectionality of differences in the fashion industry for the future. Organizations like them are helping transform the industry one step at a time. Next time you see photos of a runway show, look closer and reflect.
I really like this post, thank you for sharing! I also think that incorporating inclusion into the world of fashion should be in a way that is not only visible, but also functional. You mentioned and discussed disability within the fashion world in this post extensively, and I can see this manifest through my disabled grandmother. She has to wear certain clothes because she is paralyzed from the waist down, and thus getting dressed is more difficult. I think creating visibility for people with disabilities in the fashion world not only fights the invisibility they feel, but it also opens up discussions about how fashion can be functional for them.
Successful inclusion is meaningful to individuals, and it increases their self-confidence and comfort by making individuals feel recognized. In considering this, the fashion industry should focus on integrating inclusivity instead of having inflexible practices in the sense that they accommodate particular situations only. I believe inclusion will allow people to pursue distinct fashionable styles that best suit their needs.
You make a great point about looking beyond the surface level, outward facing claims of diversity and inclusion that the fashion industry puts out. While diversity of models on the runway and in advertisements is a great step, there needs to be diversity and inclusion of all different types of people working in the industry. I hope that more organizations take steps to expand beyond just diversity of race and size on the runway and incorporate inclusive and diverse practices behind the scenes as well.
I never thought about inclusivity in Fashion in this way before! Previously I was under the impression that inclusivity in the fashion industry would commonly include a more diverse runway, but clearly this is not the case, and should not be the case. The Behind the scenes is another pivotal part of the fashion industry that often goes unnoticed, and inclusivity should (as you pointed out) most definitely include that aspect as well!