A Promise for Diversity
The rise in diversity, equity, and inclusion in fashion
—By Izzi Nguyen
Whether you watched the 2022 New York Fashion Week (NYFW) from the front row of a private studio or on TikTok from the comfort of your own bed, you witnessed some of the most inclusive shows of the season. This past 2022 NYFW, which showcased the premiere of Spring/Summer 2023 designs, became the “second most diverse season on record” according to the annual report conducted by The Fashion Spot. The show featured notable returns from industry veterans Adut Akech, a South-Sudanese Australian model, and Hoyeon Jung, a South Korean model, and breakout appearances from rising models Precious Lee, an American plus-sized model, and Hari Nef, the first trans woman to globally sign with IMG Models.
With historic strides towards inclusivity and representation within the industry, including appearances from models of different body types, ages, genders, and ability, this NYFW has attempted to keep its global promise for diversity. However, this scale of representation and inclusion has not always prevailed throughout the history of the fashion industry.
An uneasy past
Since its origin in the 19th century, the purpose of the fashion industry has evolved to meet the changing needs of society from strictly religious pursuits, to the mass production of industrialism, to hierarchical status, and luxury couture.
More recently, with the creation of runway shows in the 20th century and the later birth of the American supermodel, the fashion industry shifted its pursuits to better satisfy the Western beauty standards of whiteness, thin physiques, straight hair, and able–bodies. In accordance with these trends, designers from both Paris and New York Fashion Week began to feature one specific “white-washed” archetype of model with strikingly thin body types, caucasian features, and fair skin tones to model their lines. Some designers even went as far to discourage POC models from applying to their shows, subsequently denying them access to the industry based solely on race.
Later, in 2012, NYFW debuted less than 25% of models of color from a roster of over 4,000 models and even more recently, the Fall 2021 season of NYFW only saw six plus-sized models casted in runway shows. Even with some of the most diverse shows of that year and this past season, remnants of the fashion industry’s controversial past still linger as eurocentric beauty standards and “idealized” body type still take the main stage.
Looking towards the future
The progression towards inclusivity has not always been linear. According to Nicole Azevedo, a professional fashion designer and graduate student at the University of Michigan’s School of Art and Design, the fashion industry has moved from “intentional exclusion to subconscious single mindedness to tokenism.”
The issue of tokenism has been especially present, as Azevedo suggests, and involves the employment of persons of color—runway and commercial models—specifically to satisfy an internal diversity quota. It “gives the appearance of sexual or racial equality” within a space and occurs at the expense of marginalized groups such as with the Spring/Summer 2011 Givenchy’s Haute Collection. This show, championed by designer Riccardo Tisci, featured a cast of exclusively Asian models in clothing inspired by Japan. While applauded for his inclusive and appropriate use of models of Asian heritage, Tisci was also accused of “thinly-veiled orientalism” in his western portrayal of Japanese-inspired clothing.
Even in its best attempts towards change, the fashion industry still continues to fall short because their mission isn’t solely centered on genuine inclusivity and representation. “Fashion will never care about validating anyone,” Azevedo says, when asked about these performative acts of inclusion. “When it’s beneficial to [the fashion industry] to reflect diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and make them more money, you will see it happen.”
Filling the gaps at home
While the fashion industry continues to struggle in fulfilling its promise of diversity, local organizations on the U of M campus have created safe spaces for those in need of diverse representation within the local industry as well as those willing to commit to this cause. Of the many diversity-driven publications on campus, SHEI Magazine—a student-run magazine with focuses on fashion and pop-culture—and MA:E Magazine— a creative collective run and committed to Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) representation—have stood prominently among the pack.
SHEI Magazine originated as an Asian pop culture publication, but has since evolved to become the official source of fashion, music, arts, and culture at the University of Michigan. To this day, the magazine continues to promote the values of inclusivity and diversity it was originally built upon.
Both of SHEI’s print and digital magazines highlight the beauty of diverse and local talent. Scroll through any of the recent issues—Death of Fashion, Odyssey, and Epiphany—and you will find models of color and diverse body types—the majority of whom are students at the university—on the cover and in editorial shoots throughout the issue. The articles nor the writers themselves do not shy away from the issues of diversity or representation either.
As for MA:E Magazine, their team has been able to put out seven consecutive issues and even more blog posts exploring APIDA identities and cultures on campus since their creation in 2017.
“There aren’t many dedicated places or organizations on campus specifically geared towards the APIDA community to explore creativity,” Audrey Ling, co-founder of MA:E Magazine, says of the creation of the diversity-centered publication.“We felt that there was a need for there to be a space such as the one MA:E hopes to provide.”
So, with ten leaders at the core of MA:E and twenty-eight active team members, this magazine has successfully been able to provide a representative Asian community on campus that incorporates DEI into every publication and is able to bridge “the gap between East, Southeast, and South Asians,” according to Ling.
Why representation matters
Whether or not fashion conglomerates display the desired inclusive representation and diversity to satisfy our society, there seems to be a consensus that representation truly matters. Delasi Denoo, former diversity chair for Alpha Chi Sigma Chemistry Fraternity, firmly believes this to be true. “Representation does matter,” she reiterates. “I feel like some people’s self-esteem can be affected if they are unable to see people like them wearing a certain type of [clothing].”
This is a matter of mental health, as Denoo suggests, and it consequently resonates strongly with younger generations as a result of the increased media presence and consumption in the 21st century. This generation of students have put specific emphasis on the role of representation in the media on their mental health, identities, and aspirations in life, suggesting the utmost importance of diverse representation within these formative years.
“I’m thinking about the brand Aerie specifically,” Denoo says, when prompted about different types of representation she’s seen in the fashion industry growing up, their models have been representative of “different types of ability, different types of skin tones, and different types of bodily conditions.”
Aerie, an international fashion retailer, has built a public image upon the principles of diversity and body positivity. As a leader in these efforts towards inclusivity, the brand has seen an increase in media coverage as well as product sales. Most notably, the brand launched the #AerieReal campaign in 2014 which revolutionized the fashion industry with unretouched photos of models sporting Aerie lingerie and loungewear products. Since that campaign, Aerie has garnered a credible and more favorable reputation compared to other lingerie companies such as Victoria’s Secret—which has been publicly criticized for their lack of diversity and promotion of harmful beauty standards—as they continue with campaigns and photoshoots that faithfully represent models of diverse ethnic background, body type, and ability.
For Denoo, this commitment to inclusivity is everything. When this type of representation is recognized, specifically for the 15-25-year-old female audience that this Michigan-based organization caters to, it can empower other women when seen in such a big brand.
“I would like to see this be the standard for basically every company.”
Feature photo, Fashion Show: photo credit, Raden Prasetya, Unsplash