Fashion magazines like Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue have a major impact on the fashion industry they are physical documentations of the most important events in fashion and have gone back decades. The fashion industry has been criticized in the past over its lack of inclusivity regarding size and appearance, pushing pictures of gorgeous skinny models and leaving out the other 99%. Yet, after the Black Lives Matter movement, many magazines started taking a second look at their decisions over the years not only regarding what they publish but their employees as well.
Fashion is a unique industry. It’s an industry that adapts and changes more frequently than most, with the ability to create new norms and influence the whole world. This power should be used for the better, not the worse. After decades of being criticized for their lack of diversity and inclusion, it’s vital for the fashion industry to represent all types of people. Normalizing inclusion in fashion today will positively impact generations to come.
Anna Wintour the editor-in-chief of US Vogue released a statement apologizing for publishing intolerant material and not doing enough to include people of color in her 32-year reign at Vogue. Although an apology is appreciated, real change is needed to make those apologies believable. To put the systematic injustice of the fashion magazine industry into perspective Harper’s Bazaar, an internationally renowned magazine, appointed Samira Nast its first black editor-in-chief in over a century and a half, 153 years to be exact, in July of last year. As a result of systemic racism in the industry, no person of color was made editor-in-chief since Harper’s Bazaars first publication in 1867, until finally in 2020.
Vogue is often referred to as the fashion bible, a name that should not be taken lightly. If this is the magazine that anyone that wants to work in fashion looks up to then the mistakes made in 32 years are quite grave. The fashion industry is very competitive as is and a lack of diversity could dimmish a young child’s dream of working in fashion by making them think they wouldn’t belong. Although things have changed over the last few years with plus-size models and a bit more diversity, I think the fashion industry knows it can do better.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/24/style/fashion-racism.html
I think your topic is very interesting and you did a great job portraying the issue at hand. Diversity is a problem in many areas, but fashion especially. Your pictures and evidence were much help in exemplifying the severity of the problem and how not having diversity in the fashion industry impacts everyone, including those looking to go into the field. This is a very important topic and you did a great portraying this in your presentation.
This was such an interesting topic and loved your application of our class discussion in relationship to something I assume you are passionate about, fashion. The lack of diversity seen within the fashion instrusty is sickening and greater use of representation should be used. It was very interesting to learn the emphasis companies took after the Black Lives Matter movement to improve their company’s branding. Very benefital sources as well, thanks for sharing!