Written by Keira Jackson
Racial and gender inequality, lack of representation, and little diversity have been recurring themes in the fashion industry for many years. Many promises have been made but yet the same issues continue to occur. So, what will it take for the fashion industry to move forward?
Women are the primary consumers of fashion, as reported by Fair Trade Certified “women spend 226 percent more on clothing per year than their male counterparts.” Yet their point of view is not reflected in business decisions, as female leaders better understand the consumers' wishes and needs, better than men. USA Today, reported, “white men dominated the C-suite (53%) and sat on the board at fashion companies 72%...” It’s not surprising that an industry created by rich white men remains male-dominated. It is more so disappointing that as issues of gender equality are being addressed, the fashion industry continues to move at a slow pace when it comes to bridging the gender equality gap.
In 2018 Glamour and the Council of Fashion Designers of America partnered to find out why disparities in the fashion industry exist and how to disintegrate them. In their findings, it was discovered that “only 14 percent of major brands are run by a female executive.” There are many women in the fashion industry, but not enough in leadership positions. If women in the fashion industry were given the same opportunities as their male counterparts there would be more women who had a seat at the table. But women aren’t given those same opportunities. For women to get those seats, roles in leadership, and recognition they so deserve they must not ask for it they must take it.
When you first walk into a room it’s not your hair, clothes, or shoes that people notice about you. Harvard researchers Dr. Juan Manuel Contreras, Mahzarin R. Banaji, and Jason P. Mitchell say, “your brain immediately takes note of two key characteristics: race and gender.” Breaking into the fashion industry as a woman is challenging enough and unfortunately being a person of color makes it even harder as many have or will face racial disparities. In a New York Times article “Fashion’s Racial Divide,” Vanessa Friedman wrote, “the percentage of African-American designers who are members of the Council of Fashion Designers of America: approximately 12 out of 470.” The CFDA founded in 1962, is a not-for-profit trade association with over 450 American fashion and accessory designers. The organization hosts its annual fashion awards and provides funding and career opportunities for working designers. CFDA is seen as a prestigious fashion design organization for upcoming and current designers. For nearly six decades CFDA has had a major impact on the fashion industry and has been a part of many trends. Yet when it comes to providing equal representation for African Americans designers the CFDA is lacking. As people of color tend to not receive the same opportunities as their white counterparts. It’s hard to believe that race doesn’t play a role in the chances a designer of color receives. The fashion industry has shown that opportunities are not given by your ability, but by your appearance. In the article “Is There Room for Fashion Criticism in a Racist Industry?” author Lindsay Wagner stated, “historically, opportunities are rare for Black and brown designers.” For example, Black fashion designer Ann Lowe. In 1953, she designed Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding gown, which received lots of press around the world and is remembered as one of the best bridal gowns of all time. However, when Kennedy was asked who designed her wedding gown, she did not disclose a name, instead, she referred to Lowe as a “colored dressmaker.” Lowe never received credit for her work until her death in 1981.
The lack of diversity presented in the fashion world has made some people of color feel as if they “don’t belong.” The Guardian reported that “two in three black employees (63%) reporting that they are regularly the “only” black person in the room.” People of color have to work twice as hard to gain the same opportunities or attention that their white peers receive. Furthermore, increasing the pressure they feel to not make any mistakes. The authors of the article “Interviews with 59 Black Female Executives Explore Intersectional Invisibility and Strategies to Overcome It,” take a deep dive into Black women and how they continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles in corporate America. The authors found that the one-way Black woman navigate their success is “the challenge of intersectional invisibility, or the tendency to be overlooked, disregarded, or forgotten due to one’s status as a member of two underrepresented and devalued groups.” The women took on roles that allowed them to be seen by the companies they worked for and allowed them to be on the radar for the positions they now sit in or wish to sit in. Instead of waiting for false promises and two women of color established a council for people of color to secure the advancement of Black women and people of color. In 2020 Lindsay Peoples Wagner, editor-in-chief of The Cut co-founded the Black in Fashion Council, a group of Black editors, models, stylists, and executives addressing systemic racism in the fashion and beauty industries.
The fashion industry has not created enough opportunities for Black, Hispanic, Asian, and other minority groups to sit on the board of fashion brands. As reported by USA Today “employees of color only comprised 16% of C-suite roles and 15% of a board seat.” The lack of diversity is very apparent in fashion. It’s noticeable in commercial ads, runways, magazines, and more importantly in the boardrooms. Time and time again fashion brands have proven that not only do women deserve a seat at the table, but people of color as well. Over the past several years fashion brands have been boycotted, forced to pull merchandise and issue apologies because of the release of insensitive ads and products. For example, in 2018 H&M was called out for having a little black boy model a hoodie that read “coolest monkey in the jungle.” Many found it to be not only racist but offensive and inappropriate. After being in major controversy H&M hired a diversity manager. In 2019 Gucci faced a major controversy after being called out on social media for the release of a sweater that resembled blackface. Gucci pulled the sweater from physical and online stores and also issued a statement apologizing for the offensive piece. Both of these instances show that having people of color in the boardroom meetings could've prevented the controversies.
The issues of gender and racial inequality, the underrepresentation of women leaders, and lack of diversity can affect the future of the fashion industry. These issues can deter future women who want to be leaders in fashion but change their minds and enter other fields as they do not want to encounter certain disparities. According to a 2013 Harvard Business Review article, “Women Rising: The Unseen Barriers,” by Herminia Ibarra, Robin Ely, and Deborah Kolb “fewer female leaders mean fewer role models and can suggest to young would-be leaders that being a woman is a liability.” Dedicated mentors are needed as they show future leaders how to grow and maintain a career in such an unpredictable industry.
Fixing The Problem:
There have been a few changes in the right direction, but there is still more to be done. The fight must continue until the fashion industry has provided equal opportunities for workers at every level. To make positive and effective changes to the fashion industry, existing rules must be dismantled. Some solutions include acknowledging existing disparities, genuine representation, and more women and people of color in leadership.
Work Cited
Carlton Pamela, et al. “Interviews with 59 Black Female Executives Explore Intersectional Invisibility and Strategies to Overcome It.” Harvard Business Review, 10 May 2018. hbr.org/2018/05/interviews-with-59-black-female-executives-explore-intersectional-invisibility-and-strategies-to-overcome-it
Elan, Priya. “Fashion industry biased towards white men, report shows.” The Guardian, 3 Feb. 2021. www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/feb/03/cfda-diversity-report-black-fashion-industry-employees
Ely, Robin, et al. “Women Rising: The Unseen Barriers.” Harvard Business Review, Sept. 2013. hbr.org/2013/09/women-rising-the-unseen-barriers. Accessed on 13 Sept. 2021.
Friedman, Vanessa. “Fashion’s Racial Divide.” The New York Times, 11 Feb. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/12/fashion/fashions-racial-divide.html.
Oakes, Carey. “Fashion Is a Women’s Issue.” Fair Trade Certified, 17 July 2020, www.fairtradecertified.org/news/fashion-is-a-womens-issue.
Reuell, Peter. “What’s in a face?.” The Harvard Gazette, 11 Oct. 2013, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/10/whats-in-a-face/.Accessed on 1 Dec. 2021.
Ryu, Jenna. “White men still run the fashion industry: Report shows there’s a long road ahead toward inclusion.” USA Today, 1 Feb. 2021, www.usatoday.com/story/life/fashion/2021/02/01/cfda-and-pvh-release-new-survey-diversity-and-inclusion-fashion/4337505001/.
Wagner, Lindsay Peoples. “Is There Room for Fashion Criticism in a Racist Industry?” The Cut, 30 Aug 2021, www.thecut.com/2021/08/is-there-room-for-fashion-criticism-in-a-racist-industry.html
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