It’s a good time to step up. I understand some people might be hesitant to speak out about race when it’s not their space or passion. You don’t want to feel like you’re getting it wrong. You want to do it right. And now with social media, even if you stand firm in the knowledge that what you are saying is right, you can still find yourself worrying about the risk of criticism and backlash. We’re getting a lot of reactionary emotion right now. But don’t let the critics on social media prevent you from doing the right thing. Don’t be afraid to speak out. You have to be on the right side of history. It’s about being able to look back and say that when the time happened, you stepped up.
I think the outcry and demonstrations are good, especially when we’re seeing injustice. It’s amazing to see how the Black Lives Matter movement has galvanised people against this.
I’ve seen riots. But what we’ve seen this week is different. This is more than protests and rioters – it’s something else because there is the added element of the pandemic. We’ve never seen anything like this before. And it’s a real multiracial situation, in which we’re seeing white people actively speaking up in record numbers. We’re also seeing big brands come out and make a statement.
I think this is partly happening because life is not moving at its usual rapid pace — even if a lot of executives are busier, working harder from home than they ever did when they were at the office. We are all house-bound on our screens and we have that visual of George Floyd in our heads now. We watched it happen. People see the gravity of the situation and the realisation hits that something needs to change.
Talking about race is very easy for some and harder for others. But either way, I think it’s important for brands to let people know what they are doing to fight racism. This is a very important moment in history and people need to see that show of solidarity because it’s a very important time for change. But we also have to remember words aren’t enough.
The reason why I’ve always advocated for models of colour is because I know it can impact everyone’s psyche. I was looking at the bigger picture. I knew that if the public could get used to the image of the person of colour, they could get used to the idea of the person of colour in life in general. And this is work that I did over the course of decades. I knew that if I was successful in getting the model of colour in the magazine and on the cover of magazines, that the average person would in turn get used to the idea of seeing the Black image in life and that this would lead to a change in a person’s mindset. I knew this would inspire other industries to pick up that same torch. Now, black models are more visible than ever and we’re seeing black editors, model agents, photographers, stylists and more slowly coming through. And we’ve seen how the music and film industries have had similar shifts.
So, what role does fashion play right now? I’ve always understood how fashion and its images can impact the mind. But I don’t like that we put so much expectation on an industry that is based on apparel and accessories. I don’t know if fashion is a verb or a noun, we’ve turned it into so many things that it has become this force that dictates one’s happiness. I grew up in the Garment District in New York and we never looked at the clothing business as fashion.
Now, it’s a lifestyle, a club. I don’t think fashion should wield this kind of power over anyone that causes them to question who they are or what they are doing. Nevertheless I recognised that this is where fashion was and is. And so I worked hard to make sure models of colour were represented within it.
People are frustrated. Fashion brands need to find a way to figure out what their purpose is and shine a light on that. They’re making statements. Now what? Most importantly, they need to try harder to search for employees of colour behind the scenes. Start with your vacant roles. Racism is when you don’t have racial diversity around you. That is racism — even if you don’t think that’s what you are. Because the reality means you’re not interacting enough with people of different backgrounds. Back in the day, if you wanted to get a job in fashion, t was about who you knew and what connections you had. But now companies have to think differently; hire diverse employees and get to know who they are. And for employees, seek out people from other backgrounds and work with them and get to know them. I also want to see independent black designers have strong businesses. It’s important to support them. When you talk about getting someone a seat at the table, all of this is what that means. If you’re worried about your history not being perfect, it’s better to start somewhere than nowhere.