Behind the seams of diversity and storytelling fashion
This is an article I wrote for a New York based digital-magazine, Reverie. The full link is listed below.
Communication from fashion labels is no longer limited to a single billboard in Times-Square, a one-off editorial spread in your favorite magazine or seasonal launch at NYFW.
Online platforms like Instagram have allowed labels to tell more of a story about who they are and what they stand for. It’s something that was simply not an option in the aforementioned ‘older’ forms of communication.
Increasingly, consumers are demanding transparency from fashion labels and want to know about more than just the price or fabric type. More than ever, consumers are aware that their spending habits have the potential to change the world.
While that may seem like a farfetched statement, there are examples where this has been the case in the fashion industry.
Consider the public outrage and subsequent pressure that ensued after the unethical manufacturing processes of certain big brands were revealed (underpaying staff in developing countries).
Around the world, consumers spoke up with their spending power and profits fell. Subsequently, international share prices dropped and global practices were reviewed.
Another more recent example is the trend towards sustainable or eco-friendly fashion. Once again, consumers are putting their money where their mouth is and opting for the more environmentally responsible option.
The ‘quirky little hippy vegan label’ was once only seen in small, independent boutiques or on an Instagram bohemian earth-mother. But more well-known labels are catching on and responding to the considerable increase in consumer demand for fashion that also prioritizes the well-being of our planet.
SO WHAT ELSE ARE FASHION LABELS SAYING TO US ABOUT THEIR VALUES IN THIS NEW ERA OF DIGITAL STORYTELLING?
On the surface, they ‘appear’ to value diversity and inclusion. As evidenced by the noticeable rise in more diverse representations on runways and the marketing and advertising for certain labels.
Take for example the inclusion of plus-size or curve models (aka normal-size people) at fashion shows or in other communications for a label.
Gone was the waif-thin heroin chic of decades past who has been replaced with a more realistic reflection of the consumer base.
Those sorts of diversity used to be such a big deal but these days, few bat a shimmery eyelid.
