RACIAL DIVERSITY ... ...
in the fashion industry ...
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Dont tell me black cover models don’t sell - editiors have the power to change cultural perceptions
-Naomi Campbell
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DIVE RSITY: Racial and cultural diversity is about understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences – referring to differences in ideas, behaviors, beliefs and traditions. However racial and cultural diversity may lead some individuals and societies to form prejudices about members of a particular race or culture thus practicing discrimination.
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Throughout fashion month, on average, black models only make up for merely 6 percent% of the models used on the runways as the demand and job opportunities for them are extremely restricted. Often designers will only book a handful of black models to avoid racism and discrimination accusations - otherwise known as tokenism.
If a designer requires a black model for their show, they will often approach the modelling agencies requesting for a more ‘exotic’ aesthetic, referring to a person of colour a discrimination. Yet when they are in need of a white model, they will request an ‘all-American’ looking model. This coded language result in stereotyping and categorising people based on their race through this coded language.
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The 1970s was a decade when black models flourished in the fashion industry as they were met with many great opportunities - seeing a small but sharp increase of 3% from 0.06% by 1978 in magazines and on television . The gains were socially significant as they symbolised the successful integration without provoking a white backlash amid potential customers in the white majority.
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“Black beauty has not only been acknowledged in the mainstream, but celebrated�
Beverly Johnson
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“I am the face of a refugee”
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Blackface became prevalent in the 1800s when men would perform popular musical and theatrical shows with their skin painted jet black - over exaggeratingly mocking black people through song and dance to make them appear stupid lazy foolish and slow thus influencing the racist mind set of many white skinned people around the world
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cultural n o i t a i r p o r app
n o i t a i r p o r App
definition:
Cultural appropriation is a concept in sociology that deals with the adoption of the elements of one culture by members of another culture.
dont do it.
From garment styling to delicate patterns to hairstyles and makeup it is easy but deplorable for designers to cross the line of appropriation. It constantly troubles the industry, as it has become one of their biggest and most reoccurring offences, with the biggest names falling guilty of this intolerant act – from Dapper Dan inspired looks to Ankara printed dresses, Valentino, Stella McCartney, Gucci and Marc Jacobs are all guilty of appropriating an aspect from the African culture without acknowledging the origins
dont do it.
MARC JACOBS marc jacobs sent models down the runway wearing colourful dreadlocks at his Spring/Summer 2017 show at New York Fashion Week.
i a r p a d p a d e o a e d t i r e t r a p a t i i p p a r a pri opr op pro pp r o r p a p r p a p p d p d a e p a a e i t a d t r a e a i p i t p r o r a i o p r p r o r p o p p r p r o p p a p a r i a p p d p a r a e d p p e t d i a a t e r p i a t i p o r a i r o r p p r r p o o p p p r o r p a p d p a r p e d p p a e t d a p e t a r a a i t i p a r i r o p r p r o p o p r a o r p i p r p a r p p I respect and am inspired by people p “ and how they look. I don’t aseepcolour a ted aiated propppr or race – I see people p a a r i a p e r d o t d e p a e r t -Marc Jacobs i o t a p r i r a p i p p r a r p o p p
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dreadlocks are a staple to the Rastafarian subculture, furthermore becoming a fundamental style for African Americans
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Funny how you don’t criticise women of colour for straightening their hair
-Marc Jacobs
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Valentino’s spring 2016 show in Paris attracted a substantial amount of negativity as there were obvious African-themed influences within the collection yet only eight out the show’s 87 models were black. The clothing embodied tribal inspired patterns with safari prints and unique textures in the form of studded leather, feathers, fringing and beads and each model was given a cornrow inspired braided bun hairstyle designed by Guido Palau
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re not delivering a postcard, it ’s “ We’layered with our culture. We need
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to create a new balance between tribal cultures and our own
-Pierpaolo Piccioli
i a r p a d p a d e o ed ate a t ria t i i p a r i opr op ro pr p p r r p d a p e p ap d a ed a t e i t d t r a e a i t pri pr rop op o r p o r ppr ap app ia d a r e d d riat iate prip op “ it seemed uncomfortably close to r o r p p r a 21st century couture version of p o r pro app ap d a performers wearing blackface e d p e -Susan Scafidi a ated iat ia t pri r i r o p r p p pro pro ppr ia t a r p p a ed a ated rop pr p p i t p ia opr d a ed a ted a e r t i t a p i a p ri pr opr pr “
Gidi Gidi Bu Ugwu Eze
kenzo
ke n z o ke n z
When cultural appreciation is executed perfectly, it can create something as beautiful as Kenzo’s new quarterly publication, ‘Gidi Gidi Bu Ugwu Eze’ – an Igbo proverb translating to ‘Unity is Strength’ in English
Y T I S R E DIV l A i c A r NO R E DIV l a i c a r NO
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Rei Kawakubo
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Rei Kawakubo fails acknowledge the lack of racial diversity in the fashion industry by adding to the problem by casting only white, Japanese and Chinese descent models as it has been over 24 years and 40 productions since there has last been a black model to grace one of her shows
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Demna Gvasalia
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it ’s the attitude of my “models that ’s important
for me, not the shade of their skin or their origin -Demna Gvasalia
t H e s T a e S IC C a etic het T I h t E T t s H THE aes ae esH ES ETIC etic ic a A t c h i H e t t T h s e S ae est th Ae s C a c I e i T TIC IC a het Aesh E t T H c i E s T TH ae et he h S t C t E I A HET aes Aes ic A c T i C S ETI het thet ES H A s t T e S aes IC a etic ic A C h T t I E e T TH est th e h a S s t E e C A ETI IC a aes a C H T C I I E T T S STH HE THET HET T
Demna Gvasalia is a serious offender when it comes to the lack of racial diversity on the runway. Creative director for both Vetements and Balenciaga, he consistently fails to show racial variety within his models – thus whitewashing his brand. Originating from Soviet Georgia, his collections have never shied away from explicit references regarding Eastern Europe, stating that his oversized aesthetic refers to his childhood wardrobe, as clothes were sparse under the Soviet ruling which is the reality that the designer is familiar with and for that reason he wants the ‘correctly’ coloured models to embody his creations the way he has envisaged them - subconsciously creating a ‘whites only’ policy
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Gvasalia’s main inspiration
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Balenciaga fall/winter 2016
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first black editor-in-cheif for British Vogue
all of the editorial staff at British Vogue was white under the ruling of previous editor - Alexandra Schulman
E e r d T u WHI ise rop is n n u E a e T ope ed opea pea s i r r o n u e pea d eu eur ean e p d o s e r ani nis uro nis e e a a e p o rope ised rop pean n u u a e e pe d euro nis a e o e s r d i e u ean is rop pe o n u p o opea ed e eur ea d s p r e i u ean nis uro ni a a e p e o ope sed rop r i r u u n u e pea ed e ed e ed s i o s s i i n r n n u ea ea pea pea p p
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British Vogue December 2017
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culturally diverse or plus-size models. Black women - even famous black women - are a risk; are as Asian women -Anon Editor
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Men don’t sell women’s “ magazines. Cover poison. Nor do