#Change
Fashion
A Roadmap and Resources for Racial Equity
#Change
Fashion
A Roadmap and Resources for Racial Equity
#Change
Fashion
A Roadmap and Resources for Racial Equity
The roadmap
Fashion is powerful. It can shape how we look at the world—especially how we look at one another.
Whether it’s magazines and media, product lines, runways shows or the retail experience, the fashion industry sends powerful messages about who and what matters. The norms of the fashion industry have a profound effect on the attitudes of millions of consumers. Those norms also impact the livelihoods and humanity of the hundreds of thousands of people whose work makes fashion possible. The fashion industry can be a force for good in society, but only if its biggest institutions fully embrace change.
The goal of #ChangeFashion is to chart a course for industry change, and partner with executives, influencers and talent across the industry to make change a reality. It is a collaboration between those working for change on the inside of the industry, such as the Black in Fashion Council, and a powerful force for racial justice advocacy on the outside: Color Of Change.
Fighting racism is not merely the trend of the season. It’s an ethos that can and must transform the fashion world as we know it, and make fashion a positive force for good—for everyone.
1. DIVEST FROM THE POLICE
The fashion industry should no longer use its economic power to prop up local police departments and other authorities who threaten and exploit Black lives.Where you have the power to negotiate,make these practices a requirement of your contract and partnership:
Hire independent security services instead of using the police department for security in all instances wherever possible, including live fashion events, content shoots, and executive protection.
Stop contributions to police unions.
Insist that local governments manage permitting, traffic coordination and other event or content production-related activities through civilian agencies, not police departments.
Where you can use your voice, keep up the pressure on local governments to reduce spending on police and prisons, to adopt transformative changes in the criminal justice system, and to shift investment to Black communities.
2. Invest in BLACK REPRESENTATION & PORTRAYALS
The fashion industry must use its cultural power to elevate Black creatives, models, behind-the-scenes talent, and the Black communities which influence fashion, in addition to representing nuanced and authentic portrayals of Black people on runways, and in editorial or branded content.
Advocate for hiring cultural consultants and partner with issue experts to help ensure authentic portrayals of Black people, shifting away from harmful practices including cultural appropriation and reflections of racial stereotypes.
Advocate for funding comprehensive, independent racial justice audits that provide actionable recommendations for improving fashion’s marketing practices, and for preventing bias, stereotyping and harm.
Advocate for creating a dedicated budget for producing and marketing content representing a wide range of authentic Black stories, whilst ensuring there are multiple senior-level Black executives with decision-making authority and marketing supervisory power.
Invest in resources to maintain directories and hire Black creative directors, photographers, set designers, stylists, makeup artists, hairstylists and groomers.
Invest in technical and cultural education for hair stylists, makeup artists, photographers, lighting, etc working across hair type and skin colors.
Advocate for creating a dedicated budget for producing and marketing content representing a wide range of authentic Black stories, whilst ensuring there are multiple senior-level Black executives with decision-making authority and marketing supervisory power.
and to shift investment to Black communities.
3. INVEST IN BLACK TALENT & CAREERS
The fashion industry must use its economic power to create pathways for all Black talent to rise in the industry, to support Black businesses and creatives, and to ensure a fair and inclusive work environment.
Adopt the inclusion rider principles for all productions, and wherever you have influence, advance the adoption of the inclusion rider and a commitment to inclusive measures on sets, in shows and behind the scenes at fashion shows, presentations and events.
Advocate for funding anti-racist trainings, independent racial justice audits of workplace culture, and the adoption of pay equity and anti-racist workplace policies and practices within your union, guild or trade association and across the companies with which you work.
Disclose information about staff diversity, as well as reporting on equity and anti-racist workplace measures in your organization.
Advocate for their disclosure within your union, guild, or trade organization and across the companies with which you work.
Establish proactive recruitment, support, retention and training measures for Black people at all levels, including LGBTQIA+ Black people, at your union, guild, or trade organization and within the companies in which you work.
Advocate for establishing those measures wherever you have influence.
Increase the number of Black people in leadership in your union, guild, or trade organization and in the companies in which you work, defined as board members, executives and senior leaders.
This must include increasing the number of people with greenlighting, budgeting and hiring authority, as well as throughout the production process. Advocate for hiring and promoting Black people wherever you have influence; that includes hiring Black talent for projects beyond those specifically focused on Black stories.
Disclose information about staff diversity, as well as reporting on equity and anti-racist workplace measures in your organization.
Advocate for their disclosure within your union, guild, or trade organization and across the companies with which you work.
4. INVEST IN BLACK COMMUNITIES
The fashion industry should use its economic power to support Black communities in the cities in which it operates, and to support Black businesses that have been excluded from the industry.
Contract with Black-owned and Black-led businesses, especially in sectors that have traditionally excluded Black people, and encourage the organizations with which you work to maintain a roster of Black businesses for contracting services.
Partner with brands that are in alignment with anti-racist social justice values.
Commit to supporting programs and community initiatives that elevate, support and empower Black communities.
