Fashion that celebrates all body types -- boldly and unapologetically | Becca McCharen-Tran | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Fashion designers have the power to change culture by redefining beauty standards and celebrating diversity in all its forms.

Key Insights

• 🎀 The fashion industry has the power to shape our culture and define what is considered beautiful. This responsibility can either exclude or empower individuals.
• 🌸 The fashion industry has long celebrated a narrow definition of beauty, reinforcing unrealistic expectations of being tall, skinny, and perfect. This can have damaging effects on people's self-esteem and mental health.
• 💪 Fighting for body positivity and acceptance is crucial. Progress has been made with the emergence of plus-size models and body-positive messages in mainstream media, but there is still work to be done.
• 🌟 Inclusivity in fashion goes beyond size. It should celebrate different gender expressions, ability levels, ages, races, and ethnicities. Beauty should be celebrated in all its forms.
• 👗 Fashion designers need to consider different body types in their designs and challenge societal norms. Embracing diversity should be reflected in the entire creative process, including behind-the-scenes decision-making and collaborations.
• 💖 Swimwear, in particular, can have a powerful impact on individuals' self-perception. Celebrating all body types and embracing imperfections can help rewrite the rules around having a "bikini body."
• 🌈 Expanding size ranges and offering fashion options for all sizes is essential. Major retailers should invest in offering more inclusive options to cater to diverse consumers.
• 🌹 Fashion schools should teach designers the skills to design for all bodies, further promoting inclusivity in the industry. By utilizing their platform, fashion designers can contribute to a more diverse and accepting fashion industry.

Transcript

Translator: Ivana Korom Reviewer: Krystian Aparta As fashion designers, our decisions have the power to change our culture. We choose who is cast in our runway shows and campaigns, and ultimately, who is celebrated and considered beautiful, and who is not. Having this platform is a responsibility. One that can be utilized to exclude people or to em... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the fashion industry reinforce a narrow definition of beauty?

The fashion industry reinforces a narrow definition of beauty by celebrating thin, young, white, cisgender, able-bodied models as the ideal. These models are often photoshopped to remove any imperfections, giving a false and unrealistic portrayal of beauty. This definition of beauty is damaging and destructive.

Q: What percentage of women are unhappy with the way they look?

According to a study, approximately 91 percent of women, and likely individuals of all gender identities, are unhappy with the way they look. This statistic highlights the prevalent issue of body dissatisfaction in our society.

Q: How has the fashion industry made progress towards inclusivity?

The fashion industry has made progress towards inclusivity by featuring plus-size models like Ashley Graham and musicians with body-positive messages like Lizzo in the mainstream. Some brands, such as Area, have also released campaigns without any Photoshop retouching. However, despite these advancements, unrealistic expectations and exclusivity still persist.

Q: What steps can fashion designers take to promote inclusivity?

Fashion designers can promote inclusivity by celebrating beauty in all different forms and being bold and unapologetic in their portrayal of diverse identities. It is crucial for designers to consider different-size bodies, gender expressions, ability levels, ages, races, and ethnicities during the design process. Furthermore, it is important to have diverse decision-makers behind the scenes and collaborate with different communities to ensure holistic inclusivity.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Fashion designers have the power to change our culture, and it is their responsibility to use their platform to empower others and challenge narrow beauty standards.

• The fashion industry has long reinforced an ideal of beauty that excludes certain body types, genders, ages, and ethnicities, leading to body image issues and self-hatred.

• Inclusivity in fashion goes beyond surface-level representation and requires diverse decision-makers, collaborators, and expanded size ranges in retailers to create a truly inclusive industry.