In the ever-evolving world of fashion, black designers are gaining attention.
When Issa Rae hosted the CFDA Fashion Awards (the first Black woman to do so), she stunned on the red carpet in a custom Pear Moss jumpsuit designed by Haitian-American fashion designer Kerby Jean-Raymond. As Zendaya evolved from Disney starlet to leading lady, Law Roach chose several outfits from Brooklyn-raised designer Romeo Hunt’s debut collection for her week-long press tour.
Twitter erupted when Beyoncé was spotted carrying a white Telfar shopping bag while out to lunch in Brooklyn. It was also at this time that the Liberian-American designer’s popular Bushwick Birkin bag gained global popularity. Beyoncé endorsed the bag on her album “Renaissance,” declaring, “This Telfar bag is imported. Birkin? That’s like crap in a warehouse.” It was an iconic pop culture moment, reminiscent of Sarah Jessica Parker and Manolo Blahnik in her Sex and the City days. Fashion brands like Hanifah, LemLem, and LaQuan Smith are creating buzz while bridging the gap between aspirational and attainable.
While a designer can become an overnight global sensation if placed with the right prestigious firm, achieving the level of name recognition needed to land on the shelves and in the rooms of top celebrities has long been difficult. It’s taken decades of advocacy and behind-the-scenes persistence to pave the way for today’s Black designers. Trailblazers like model and activist Bethan Hardison have worked tirelessly to break down barriers and advocate for systemic change in an industry that has historically resisted “outsiders.”
Despite progress, significant barriers to entry and advancement remain. According to a Drapers survey, 50.8% of fashion industry professionals believe the industry is not moving fast enough towards diversity, equity, and inclusion. Additionally, 41.3% of respondents believe it is harder for ethnic minorities to enter the fashion industry, and 38.1% reported that ethnic minorities face more challenges in advancing within the industry. These findings highlight the structural barriers that professionals of color continue to face in the fashion industry.
Effectively addressing these systemic issues requires a multi-pronged approach, and Aurora James, founder of luxury lifestyle and accessories brand Brother Vellies, and Lindsay Peoples Wagner, Editor-in-Chief of The Cut and pioneering journalist, are key players in this ongoing effort as they drive meaningful change and set a new standard for better representation in the fashion industry.
Aurora James and the 15 Percent Pledge: From Awareness to Accountability
James has made significant strides towards diversity and inclusion through her “15 Percent Pledge,” securing commitments from major retailers such as Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Sephora and Macy’s to allocate 15 percent of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses.
The campaign, which launched in 2020, came at a time of heightened awareness of systemic racism and structural inequality. James recalls it as a “lightbulb” moment. “At the time, everyone was feeling emotions, but we didn’t quite know what to do with them,” she says. Anger can be a powerful force for change if strategically channeled, but intense emotions often overshadow reason and logic.
James put his plan into action amid widespread conversations about the impact of systemic racism and corporate social responsibility following the killing of George Floyd. “For large companies, if we don’t track it, we don’t do it. We needed to put actual KPIs on something that had existed primarily as a feeling,” he says. “To me, this pledge was a really great starting point.”
With 29 companies making the pledge and more than 600 Black-owned brands on store shelves, the 15 Percent Pledge has redirected $14 billion in revenue to Black-owned businesses.
Black in Fashion: Lindsay Peoples Wagner’s Blueprint for Equality
In her groundbreaking roles as the youngest ever editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue for a Condé Nast publication and now as editor-in-chief of The Cut, Peoples Wagner uses her platform as a journalist to highlight diverse experiences. Her viral and widely acclaimed article, “Everywhere and Nowhere: What it’s Really Like to Work in Fashion as a Black Person,” exemplifies this commitment.
Despite her influence and the credibility she’d earned, or maybe because of it, she faced challenges common among activists. “There’s often a tendency, especially in our industry, to shift the blame,” she said. “I always felt like I was too young, that I didn’t have the same resources, that I didn’t have the access that other people had.” Despite the temptation to push the responsibility off, she resisted, starting with small but impactful actions. “I started by hosting events for Black women in my apartment, trying to make a difference and be of service in my own way.”
What began as a meeting in her living room evolved into a movement as she resolved to take bigger action. “If you have a platform and resources, you need to use them to actually help people.” Peoples Wagner, along with public relations professional Sandrine Charles, founded the Black in Fashion Council (BIFC) to address the structural disparities they encountered in the fashion industry. Since its launch in 2020, the Council has developed a critical framework, produced an annual report card on Black representation in the industry, and increased support and visibility for emerging Black designers.
BIFC’s inaugural report, in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign, found that 22% of companies with boards of directors have committed to hiring Black representatives. Nearly 100 companies have committed to increasing the proportion of Black employees in both executive and junior-level roles. Additionally, about 20% of these companies have implemented formal minority-specific professional development programs.
DEI Pendulum
While DEI efforts have faced setbacks and backlash nationwide across higher education and corporate America, James and Peoples-Wagner remain committed to their vision of advancing equity in the fashion industry.
James offers a balanced view of this shift in tolerance for investment: “Some of our pledgers are very committed, figuring out what more they can do. While a lot of people are looking at the rollbacks and seeing reports about the decline of DEI, we’ve given out about $500,000 in grants over the past few years, which is really great. But apart from that, I think a lot of companies are deciding not to do anything and consumer interest is waning,” she said.
Peoples Wagner also sees the shift. “There’s this pendulum swing of why we have to constantly remind people that diversity is important. It’s exhausting and disappointing that we still have to fight to have these conversations, but I believe we’re somewhat prepared for this moment,” she said. “We are equipped and uniquely positioned to address these issues and improve our industry. I think finding that middle ground is just part of the journey.”
Aurora James and Lindsay Peoples Wagner are agents of the cultural change the fashion industry needs. Through the 15 Percent Pledge and the Black in Fashion Council respectively, their unwavering commitment underscores the importance of continuing the fight for diversity and inclusion.
