New York Fashion Week Yet
This May Be The Most Diverse New York Fashion Week Yet
Despite ongoing criticism and some slight gains, its clear that fashion still has a racial diversity problem. A report into the Autumn 2016 runways found that they were less than 25 per cent diverse, while in the Spring campaigns 78.2 per cent of models were white. Now, due to a new change, we might be on the cusp of the most diverse fashion week ever.
The Council of Fashion Designers America (CDFA) and the Diversity Coalition have now requested that diversity becomes more prominent on the runway. In their annual health initiative letter, sent to members in order to help maintain the health and wellbeing of models, they have now also included diversity guidelines for the first time. This year, members have been advised "to encourage the industry to be inclusive of racial diversity when preparing casting of models for their company needs," according to the email.
"Our objective is to make a shift on how the model of colour is viewed so it becomes natural to see them participating each season in a greater number than seasons past," the e-mail read. Here, designers will have to specifically ask for models of colour, and if those needs are not met, "they have to have an assistant or someone call back."
Diversity Coalition founder Bethann Hardison, who has championed the need for greater discussion on the issue since 2007, first wrote the guidelines. Speaking to WWD, she said: "I am happy to know that the CFDA thinks it is important to remind people. I wrote those guidelines four or five, or however many years ago, and they are still relevant ideas. These are basics for people to be responsible to the idea of diversity."
