Diversity In The Fashion Industry | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Diversity In The Fashion Industry

Or rather, lack thereof.

24
Diversity In The Fashion Industry
Fashionista.com

In the aftermath of Paris Fashion Week, it's time to draw attention the extreme lack of diversity usually seen on runways. Demna Gvasalia, the lead designer of Vetements, failed to cast onesingle person of color, but little attention was brought to that.

The sad part is, when I first heard this, I should've been more shocked than I was. There have been other incidents like this recently, most notably, the Oscar nominations being all white. The fight for inclusion seems to be never-ending, and even with models of color, they tend to be more fair-skinned. There's a lack of natural hair, just so girls can fit into the white hetero-normative beauty ideal.

Model Leomie Anderson angrily tweeted about an incident backstage where a makeup artist did not have a shade of foundation to match her skin tone, saying, "We need more makeup artists and hair [stylists] who are competent with all races backstage at shows."

She goes on to describe what happened, angrily tweeting about her experience:

Leomie accurately and concisely sums up a larger problem: the inability of the workers in the fashion industry to deal with people of color.

Even off the runway, there multiple issues with diversity. A popular clothing line, Brandy Melville, posted a picture on their Instagram which features a large number of their models.

These girls, though they are all beautiful, fit into the same beauty ideal, promptly causing plenty of users to angrily comment things such as:


Brandy's Instagram page does feature some people of color. However, they are few and far between; there are 13 more pictures featuring other models before one single person of color is shown.

It's frustrating to see so many people view fair skin as a beauty ideal, rather than simply a physical aspect of someone. People of color should not be forced to play catch up or fight to even be seen on runways and in catalogs, especially in an industry that capitalizes on appearance. It's time for a change.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

281
Michael Scott
NBC

Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

15161
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3072
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments