by MIKE CHAIKEN
CTFashionMag.com
In the wake of the death of George Floyd, which has brought a growing awareness of systemic racism in America, the fashion industry is trying to come to grips how it can be a part of the solution.
During Fashinnovation World Wide Talks II, which provided a series of fashion-based webinars, several of the speakers touched upon the topic of fashion and race.
Fern Mallis, an international fashion and design consultant who helped launch New York Fashion Week at Bryant Park in 1993, said the week of protests for a change on how Americans handle race will change society, not just fashion. It will change how police conduct themselves, how people speak to one another and how they listen to one another.
Mallis, who is white, said has its own house to get in order regarding race.
“Fashion is as guilty (as everyone else)… for not always doing the right thing (regarding diversity),” said Mallis.
When New York Fashion Week was launched, Mallis said there were many black super models walking the runways. Then designers became enamored with Eastern European and Brazilian models, said Mallis. Black models faded from the runway.
In recent years, there has been a move to bring back more diversity on the runways.
Mallis said there are plenty of black designers on the scene these days. But Mallis said fashion is more than just the models on the runway and designers.
Behind the scenes, Mallis said there is still a need for more black on Board of Directors and holding the position of CEO.
The problem won’t be solved by just appointing people to these positions because of the color of their skin, said Mallis. There is a need to bring a diverse work force through the ranks. “You have to work with the community, educate people and get smart people to make a difference,” said Mallis.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America is making a conscious effort to rectify the lack of diversity, said Mallis. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has put the effort “three steps back.”
Jessica Andrews, deputy fashion editor of Bustle magazine, noted there has been a call for more consumers to support black businesses.
Andrews, who is black, said the effort notes that blacks represent 15% of the American population. The movement notes black-owned business should cover 15% of the shelf space in stores. Consumers are asked to allocate 15% of their purchases to black-owned business, said Andrews.
Fashion designer and retailer Rebecca Minkoff, who is white, said her company is taking the initiative to highlight more black-owned fashion lines.
In her podcasts, Minkoff said she has begun to showcase black businesses, who also are receiving ads ads on the podcast. Minkoff’s website also has begun to host pop up stores of black-owned businesses.
“It’s an actionable way to get money into the community,” said Minkoff. “If you get more money to these business so they will make a positive impact on the community and themselves.”
Julie Bornstein, the CEO of The Yes, an app-based online store said smaller black-owned businesses have had a tough time in the past because they could not get past the “gatekeepers” of the big department stores, who favored the big design houses.
But sites such as The Yes offer an opportunity for these smaller brands to get their garments to customers, said Bornstein.
“The barrier on the app is very low,” said Bornstein, who is white. To sell on The Yes, Bornstein said, a brand needs “a fashion point of view” and a website.
“Our team finds brands with diverse founders that we find interesting,” said Bornstein.