How is fashion embracing inclusivity?

How is fashion embracing inclusivity?

There is no denying that, in its long and distinguished history, the fashion industry often represents one level of beauty. From catwalks to promotional campaigns, brands in recent years have gone to great lengths in terms of shape, age, and ethnicity – but we all know that the world is very rich.

For more than a century, fashion trends have shaped the way people — especially women — think they should look. And thin bodies, and almost only white, have become commonplace. But the reality for retailers now is that this is not a normal female body. However, in recent years, the industry has been doing a lot to strive for diversity and see a more inclusive approach to representation. Changes are possible. Today, new and established retailers alike accept involvement from scratch or learn to wrap it up in their ethics.

These are some of the names that have started to implement inclusivity and diversity within their work:

Xueli Abbing

A native of China, he is a young albino. A rare genetic disease causes a lack of color space which makes Xueli’s skin and hair very pale and makes him more sensitive to the sun. But a different look led Xueli to her modeling career. Now 16 years old, he has landed on Vogue pages and the leading campaigns of leading designers.

Versace 

The Italian fashion house has included dozens of models in its recently launched Fall 2018 campaign, a product called “the longest advertising image”. Using color models and women who embrace their curls, Versace said the 54 model campaign symbolizes inclusion, a significant amount of artistic director Donatella Versace and her brand vision.

Brands Began Designing With Wheelchair Users in Mind

Several labels have paved the way for increased representation in their collections in recent seasons – most notably Tommy Hilfiger and Asos, both this year and expanding their offerings for affordable clothing. The big e-tailer Asos teamed up with BBC journalist Chloe Ball-Hopkins to design a dyed jumpsuit, which was created especially with the use of wheelchair users (imagine that it is waterproof, flexible, and has a longer hem at the back). The US label Hilfiger also unveiled a crippling line called Tommy Adaptive, which includes a series of pieces made of adjustable details and easy-to-use tools. The trail of this route has included a variety of models, from US Paralympian athlete Jeremy Campbell to inspiring speaker Mama Caxx, who has a prosthetic limb.

Models of Color Score Myriad Campaigns

According to The Fashion Spot, the Spring 2018 fashion campaigns have been the most engaging so far, with 34% of the models used representing women of color. The report looks at 218 campaigns with 541 models in total, resulting in a 1.2% increase in its Fall 2017. Models such as Aube Jolicoeur of Haiti and Shanelle Nyasiase of South Sudan are some of the most prominent in the campaigns, reports the site.

Chromat

In 2010, designer Becca McCharen-Tran introduced Chromat, a new label dedicated to the latest fashion trends, including size, highly inspired by pieces of architecture. In 2014, the brand showcased its first collection at NYFW, putting it on the map as a way to change the game. Since then, the brand has become a celebration of all races, nationalities, sizes, lengths, disabilities, and more.

 

Universal Standard Becomes Most Size-Inclusive Brand Ever

Although most brands claim to include size, they usually stand in size 20 or 24. Universal Standard, however, wanted to change that. In May 2019, they announced that all of their outfits will be available in sizes 00 to 40, making the brand the most versatile. In doing so, Universal Standard sets an example of where the future of fashion should look: Why is it necessary to distinguish specific and integrated sizes? Real fashion inclusion means everyone’s choices, and the genre is dedicated to showing that in everything they do. The fashion industry has been notoriously uninclusive when it comes to welcoming diversity. It is widely known that the fashion industry, traditionally, shows off one version of men and women to provoke desire in their customers. Thanks to social pressure, the industry’s biggest companies have started to embrace inclusivity and show off models and people that aren’t perfect. From people of different ethnicities and with disabilities, there have been lots of examples of this industry turning a corner for the better.