Fashion Activism – Can The Fashion Industry Implement Lasting Change?
We want more than hashtags and slogan tees.
We’ve seen it all before, we’ve sighed and rolled our eyes at the poor attempts of activism within the fashion industry. Over the past two weeks, social media has been filled with fleeting and arguably ingenuine acts of activism, abhorrent to those of us questioning the motives behind these performative gestures. But now, amidst the biggest civil rights campaign of our time, we must question what the fashion industry will do to tackle racism within its own community and ask what fashion brands will implement beyond mourning the tragic death of George Floyd on their social media channels.
In reaction to the recent brutalities against the black community in America and the injustices faced internationally, protests across the world are demanding tangible and lasting change within the system. And it’s becoming increasingly clear that these expectations apply to the Fashion industry too, with Instagram accounts like Diet Prada calling out racism within household brands to their 1.9 million followers. Now, as we enter the third week of BLM protests, its time to reflect upon the companies striving for a better world and the ones who have failed to make a difference.
To show their support for the BLM movement, the fashion industry must take on a vital role, educating themselves and others on the white privilege and systemic racism that exists within the industry, striving to dismantle it for good. For decades, the world of fashion has capitalized on notions of blackness, yet they have still failed to diversify their workplaces and campaigns. Now, as consumers, we must demand more and show our support to the brands who do better. We’re talking more than just a black box on an Instagram feed.
Its 2020 and its time for lasting change.
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