After attending Milan Fashion Week for the fourth consecutive year, I suddenly found myself reflecting on the industry’s evolution, especially since Oct. 7. As I still admire the artistry and innovation, given everything that has happened in the past 12-months, I can’t help but ask myself some uncomfortable questions, like whether or not I can truly appreciate the aesthetic, history, and creativity of high fashion without turning a blind eye to the exploitative systems that it supports? Is it possible to appreciate this industry’s designs and craftsmanship while simultaneously criticizing the very capitalist structures that sustain it?
No matter where you stand politically or economically, I think we can all, hopefully, agree on one thing: exploitation, in any form, is deeply immoral. Unfortunately, high fashion appears to be intrinsically tied to this capitalist structure. It is built on pillars of exclusivity, consumerism, and, as we’ve just mentioned, exploitation. The luxury associated with the fashion industry is a symbol of wealth and status, inherently linked to these exact capitalist ideals. And over the past year, these harmful practices only seem to have reached new heights, as the industry has proven to be more detached than ever from the reality we are all collectively living in.
After the global wave of protests sparked by the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement and multiple racist missteps in the fashion world, the industry made numerous promises to embrace inclusivity. Although there was a brief glimpse of diversity at the time, in hindsight, it seems that representation was just another fleeting trend rather than a long-term shift. More than just a negative sentiment or harsh opinion, this bleak reality was supported with concrete evidence from The New York Times in 2021, who then asked 64 brands expected to take part in the next editions of New York, London, Milan, and Paris fashion weeks on their commitment to change. As expected, the results were nothing short of disappointment, with one common denominator between them across the spectrum of answers: the lack of authenticity in their respective approaches.
“In discussing their efforts to address the question of representation and inclusion, companies often used similar words, phrases and general sentiments, even if their headquarters are in different countries and are of different size — such as ‘more work to do’ (LVMH and Chanel) or ‘more that needs to be done’ (Tom Ford) or referring to diversity and inclusion as ‘embedded’ in their ‘culture’ (PVH) or ‘DNA’ (Capri),” one statement read, using the same buzzwords we’ve heard from other brands in the same timeframe.
To keep this conversation about fashion going, a more recent article from Vogue Business highlighted another troubling trend: runway shows appear to be regressing in terms of body positivity. Despite the progress made in the past few years towards more inclusive representation, particularly regarding body diversity, the industry seems to be reversing course. According to them, many of the recent runway shows have reverted to promoting a very narrow, outdated standard of beauty, favoring ultra-thin models and neglecting the progress that had been made toward showcasing different body types.
“Milan was the least size-inclusive of the four cities this season, featuring 99 percent straight-size looks—a backslide from 96 percent last season. London remained the most size-inclusive city, with 87.9 percent straight-size looks, 9.7 percent mid-size looks, and 2.4 percent plus-size looks—similar to last season,” the report stated. “New York was the third most-inclusive city this season but regressed in representation, featuring 96.1 percent straight-size looks, up from 93.6 percent last season. Size inclusivity in Paris improved slightly this season, with 3.8 percent mid-size and 0.5 percent plus-size representation—up from 1.1 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively, for SS24,” it added.
On a different note, selective indignation also seems to be causing havoc in the industry. Many of us likely remember how quickly major fashion houses showed their support for Ukraine—such as Gucci closing its stores in Russia or esteemed creatives giving dedicated speeches during their shows. In contrast, the response to the tragic events of Oct. 7 mirror a certain level of moral inconsistency as this same fashion industry has remained notably silent and has even censored support for Palestinian voices.
Such was the case for Samira Nasr, editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, who became a target after sharing an Instagram post expressing concern for Palestinians. Israel’s shutdown of essential services in Gaza—denounced by human rights groups as a war crime—prompted her to write: “Cutting off water and electricity to 2.2 million civilians… this is the most inhuman thing I’ve seen in my life.” After facing backlash from her own media outlet and the broader fashion industry, Nasr issued an apology, calling her comments “deeply insensitive and hurtful,” simultaneously clarifying that she was “in no way sympathetic” to Hamas.
Similarly, supermodel Bella Hadid faced death threats for her vocal support of Palestinian rights. “I received threats, but I refuse to stay silent. I stand for humanity,” she revealed in the early weeks following the outburst of violence in the Gaza Strip. In other words, being pro-Palestinian in the fashion world today can feel particularly unsafe. This has personally affected me, as much as it has impacted the livelihoods of many others in the industry as well. These experiences force me to question how an industry that claims to champion inclusivity continues to perpetuate systems of oppression and biased narratives.
Is there hope for change? Despite the negative picture that’s just been painted, small steps are still being made towards the right direction. For instance in 2020, Copenhagen Fashion Week introduced rigorous standards for sustainability and social responsibility, including
That said, for those of us who care about fashion, the question still remains: how can we engage with this world without being complicit in its injustices? Perhaps the answer lies in holding it accountable, supporting those brands and designers pushing for real change, and staying vocal about the industry’s shortcomings. Fashion may not yet care enough about the values many of us hold dear, but if we demand more, it just might be forced to evolve into something that truly reflects a more just and inclusive world.