What is it like to be Black in fashion?
Almost two years ago, Lindsay Peoples Wagner wrote “What It’s Like To Be Black In Fashion,” a critically-acclaimed and widely shared article for New York Magazine. As a result of her extensive reporting, Peoples Wagner realized that the solution was systemic change. Joining forces with public relations specialist, Sandrine Charles, the duo decided to start The Black in Fashion Council.
By organizing a resilient group of editors, models, stylists, media executives, assistants, freelance creatives, and industry stakeholders, we aim to build a new foundation for inclusivity. For this change to occur, non-Black brands, publications, and people of influence have to carefully examine the roles they’ve played in either helping or hurting Black people who work in these spaces.
As an industry, we cannot continue to claim that we are progressive if we are not working to force diversity and inclusion in corporate structures while rectifying systemically racist policies that have permeated our industry for hundreds of years.