While the overall landscape of the fashion industry clung quite tightly to the norms of yore this year, 2015 did supply a few moments of diversity that made us optimistic and expectant for inclusion for black women: Beyoncé becoming the third woman to cover the always epic September issue of Vogue, Jourdan Dunn gracing the cover of Vogue UK solo — which hadn’t been done by a model of color for 12 years! — and three up-and-coming models on the front of Teen Vogue’s August issue, including one of the year’s top models, Lineisy Montero. But why isn’t diversity growing by leaps and bounds and reflecting the faces and ethnicities of the world’s fashion-loving population?
“This is still a slightly taboo subject,” says celebrity stylist Law Roach, whose clients include Zendaya Coleman, Ruby Rose, and Willow Shields. “We’re still living in a time in this industry where you’ll hear ‘We’re not using any more black girls.’ We’re unfortunately still there and fashion is very fickle. Trends are the main focus, and those fads speak for every facet of the industry — not just colors and silhouettes, but what’s of the moment when it comes to how models look on the runway.”
That’s exactly what icon and pioneer Bethann Hardison is working on day-in and day-out. Roach mentioned her ongoing and hard fight to make fashion the true reflection of those who love it and support it around the world. He also acknowledged supermodels Iman and Naomi Campbell for joining the push with Hardison and keeping the conversation moving forward, but had to pause to think of other pioneers who made diversity their aim this year. “The fact that I even had to think about it shows that we’ve gone far, but still have so much more to do.”
Brandice Daniel, founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row, which discovers and showcases emerging talent of color, has a few people in mind. “This year has been great for multicultural designers in fashion such as Harbison, Azede Jean-Pierre, LaQuan Smith, and Brother Vellies,” he says. Harbison has been worn on multiple occasions by Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, who have the power to catapult any brand into veritable stardom. The Kardashian and Jenner siblings have worn plenty of LaQuan Smith, and Brother Vellies took home the 2015 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award.
Retailers are taking notice, too. “Macy’s has a vendor diversity initiative and Anthropologie is one of the few stores that offers Tracy Reese and Byron Lars, in addition to other multicultural designers,” Daniel says. “I can also add Neiman Marcus to the conversation; earlier this year they selected Azede Jean-Pierre as the 2015 Fine Art + Fashion Designer Extraordinaire Award recipient.”
And when it came to brands driving the push on the high-fashion front, Roach named Fausto Puglisi — at both his namesake brand and at Emanuel Ungaro — as one of the designers who wanted to contribute to Zendaya’s vision and bold sense of style. “He was one of the first to open up and lend to her, supporting both Zendaya and I. He solidified that when he took us to the Met Gala earlier this year,” he says.
Roach and Zendaya have a very transparent relationship, in which she’s aware of the brands that have refused to lend to her, or who have stated that she is “not in their calendars for the season.” That is one of the reasons why Roach gravitates toward emerging brands and takes great pride in using labels backed by designers of color: Harbison and Public School are two of his favorites.
Roach also called out what he referred to as the “social designers,” those who really used platforms like Twitter and Instagram to rally a following and make waves. “Social media has opened our minds to new images, inspiration, and even different ideas of beauty from all over the globe,” he says. “If it’s doing something for me, I assume it would be affecting a creative director or other influencer in just the same way.”
“Olivier Rousteing at Balmain and Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy really dove into social media this year. Their knowledge of their broad fan bases and what’s going in the world from a social perspective directly spilled over into their runways and campaigns,” he adds. “Erykah Badu at Givenchy was really important in 2015 and the Balmain runways are constantly brimming with models of color.”
The Fashion Spot’s diversity report revealed that the Spring 2016 runways were 77.6% white — down less than three percentage points from Fall 2015, when catwalks were 80% white, proving there is still significant work to be done. The year also saw a slew of shakeups at the creative helm of brands and many editor shifts and magazine consolidations, though the needle barely moved when it came to diversity for behind-the-scenes players of color. Diversity has to be intentional according to Daniel. “That means actively recruiting on HBCU campuses and offering access to the leaders at these companies through forums or conferences such as Harlem Fashion Row University,” he says.
Rajni Jacques, fashion editor-at-large at Racked, echoed Daniel’s point. “To be honest, many things in fashion work within a bubble.” she says. “If the top executives don’t feel compelled to hire people of color, how can the next generation hire more people of color? People lead by example. And yes, there are some people who are very aware and make it a point to diversify, but then there are many more who are so used to the ‘status quo’ that change is never in sight for them. What we can do to make it better is to start a conversation with your peers. Remember: nothing can be done to help facilitate change if everyone is tight lipped about needing it.”
September 2015 seemed to be a huge month for diversity in the editorial realm, as more models and celebrities of color were on the covers of high-fashion magazines than we’ve ever seen before. Fashion took the likes of Taraji P. Henson, Laverne Cox, Dascha Polanco, Teyonah Parris, Tracee Ellis Ross, Tessa Thompson, and Keke Palmer — all of whom were starring in hit shows or films in 2015 — into its arms this year.
“It was heartwarming to say the least,” says Daniel. “We are starting to see a shift for people of color on television, and on the big screen. I believe this influence in entertainment is having an incredible influence on fashion as well.”
Roach agreed with Daniel with a slight tinge of hesitation, telling Teen Vogue, “In my heart, I know it’s a good sign, though history has proven that moments like these always get attributed to trends in the end. I do hope that it’s a picture of what’s in store for the future.”
As for what the industry’s editors, stylists, and executives are hoping for in 2016, Jacques is most excited to see how the climate of the upcoming year changes as a whole, based on all the designer shakeups and possible revamp of Fashion Week as we know it. The “natural” look — models sporting their natural afros and minimal makeup showcasing their raw beauty — is what she’s hoping will continue next year.
“I love how models like Karly Loyce and Lineisy Montero are advocates for the black ‘natural’ look: a look that was never fully embraced by fashion unless there was some sort of African-themed editorials or shows,” she says. “That look becoming mainstream is very big for the black community and quite momentous when advocating for diversity.”
Roach would like to see a more diverse cast of creative directors at fashion houses and more groundbreaking partnerships with brands and celebrities like Rihanna and Dior. “I want to see more people be social disruptors and change the industry, like Olivier is doing at Balmain. I want to see a different perspective,” he says.
So what grade does the fashion industry deserve this year? There was progress made, so we’d be wrong to dole out a failing mark, but there’s still a lot that needs to be done. Diversity doesn’t stop at black women; people of all backgrounds and skin tones deserve to be included in the fashion conversation. As black women continue to fight for a place at the table, hopefully more space will be cleared for everyone of all ethnicities, gender identities, and body types.
Thus, a “C” grade seems fair: passing, but by a thread. And who should be called into the PTA meeting and be told about the industry’s shortcomings for future scolding and grounding? Well, everyone with power quite honestly: The creative heads at the helms of big brands, the casting agents, the editors, and more. And who will the teachers be? Us, of course — not just writers and journalists, but you, the readers, the public, and the customers.
We don’t just need people of color to continue to drive the conversation either, but instead by fashion lovers of every shade and ethnicity who believe that a diverse industry is the only way to reflect the changing face of the world. Let them know that your purchasing dollars, clicks, and social media posts won’t be focused on a fashion house or label that isn’t committed to varied faces, shapes, and genders.
Let’s hope 2016 has more diversity in store and that soon fashion’s report card will be as pretty and error-free as the designs that brands send down the catwalks season after season.
This post was originally published on Teen Vogue.
