Do We Need Diversity In Fashion?

    
   PARIS - Always Shows First

  MILAN - Has The Money   
                                                        

   NEW YORK - Forever Well Put Together 

   LONDON -  Renown For Its Creativity And Innovation 

The Shows 

• For Buyers
• For Private Clients
• For Media 

The Changing Role Of Fashion

The face of fashion has changed dramatically over the last 20 years, for example now debates such as should fashion institutions educate in order for students to think about diversity in order to make them commercially viable exist. 

All Walks 

All Walks was founded by Caryn Franklin, Debra Bourne and Erin O’Connor, in which to showcase the work of 8 contemporary designers on a 8 models aged between 18-65 and size 8-16, to celebrate diversity. 

All Walks first campaign was meant to be a one off and was shot for i-d magazine by Kayt Jones, now its been running for 5 years.

AGE

In the fashion industry the subject of age is almost taboo, however this opinion is changing. LSN Global has picked up on this trend and states that now people are more interested in someones attitude than the age they are, as this is considered more appealing. This is represented through the use of Carmen dell'orefice who still walks for Valentino.

SIZE

The fashion industry has always been associated with wanting everyone to be tall and thin, this has further been supported by the constant bombardment of images in the media. The average Women in the UK is a size 16, yet model Sophie Dhal who is a size 14 is considered plus size.  

The bi-annual fashion magazine Love created slight controversy when they added more weight to Beth Ditto when she was on their first cover, some believe this is the wrong way for magazines to be going as it is promoting an unhealthy body image. 

A new fashion magazine has been launched but with a difference, its the UK's first plus size fashion magazine called SLiNK, its being distributed across 15 countries. Editor Rivkie Baum states that "We believe that women are tired of seeing the same unobtainable image, women today are much more savvy". The magazine will contain shopping features, interviews, features, travel and beauty tips in efforts to “change the reputation of plus size fashion”. Baum has commented that they are not promoting an unhealthy image they know that they must represent a healthy body image. Therefore altering body shapes will not happen using technology, yet they admit that they will use tricks like "lighting corrections and light balance". With 47% of women in the UK being a sie 16+ its about time that the industry starts recognising them as a powerful consumer with money to spend as this is a niche thats not yet been fully explored.

MEN

Fashion is said to not appeal to men, this is suggested to be because of the stereotypes  that have been attached to men who are interested in fashion. Rather than using models and those from the fashion industry for style inspiration men are known to use sports stars or actors. This has lead to sports stars such as David Beckham to front campaigns for the fashion house Belstaff. 

   

Men who express interest in fashion are often considered to not be as masculine as their peers who don't, this is due to the way society has represented men who have this interest. This is also because fashion is associated stereotypically with femininity and pointlessness. Creating this view for some that fashion is below men, and by partaking society will question ones masculinity and/or your sexual orientation.

EXOTIC OTHER

The fashion industry is bombarded with skinny caucasian blonde women and this ideal of a blonde beauty has been around since Ancient Rome, yet there have been some break throughs. The issue is that when a black model breaks through in the industry often it is only one per generation. Examples of this is Donyale luna, Naomi Sims, Iman, Naomi Campbell and  Grace Jones. 

What can only be considered as another act of discrimination is the neglect of using Christy Turllington for Vogue covers compared to the other supermodels. Its suggested this is because she is Latina and due to society she is seen as a second class citizen in America.  

There has always been an issue of racism in fashion and of recent more and more evidence is coming forward saying that yes the fashion industry is racist. For the 2013 fashion weeks there was a notable decrease in the amount of black models it went from 8.1% from last season to 6% this season. It is not unusual for black models to be told that the fashion house already has a black model for the season. 

THE GLOBAL MARKET PLACE 

The countries that are leading in the global market is the BRICS MINTS and TINTS due to their emerging economies.  As economies are growing this has lead to a higher demand for Japanese designer such as Kenzo that started in 1970 and Comme that was founded in 1981 and is now known at Comme Des Garçons. Also as economies are getting bigger their interest in fashion is developing, such as now in Brazil they have their own fashion week held in As Paulo where Daslu is also based the discreet provider of luxury goods.   

Additionally as publications hold a lot of power being in favour with them can cause a large amount of power for a designer. For example when Carine Roitfeld was editor in chief of French Vogue she did an issue that was just full of Tom Ford, this lead many other designers feeling very disgruntled and is said to have lead to her being fired. 

Furthermore global companies such as Li & Fung are trying to obtain English companies, therefore they have opened a Marketing Suite on Savill Row to buy the rest of Savill Row. In Moscow's Red Square lies GUM which hosts some of the world most expensive and luxury stores from Cartier to Louis Vuitton it really is an Art Nuevo shopping destination.