How mindset changes influence diversity, equity and inclusion in fashion.

The future of fashion is to reframe consumption and seek solutions to achieve sustainability, racial representation, equity, and inclusion.

According to the National Household Sample Survey made by IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) in 2019 – “We are a country where 56% of people consider themselves black or of mixed race.”

“Fashion is still a conversation that is very much conducted by the elite. For a long time, it was based on the upper classes, power, and white people. Also, for a long time I saw myself in an almost singular space. I recognize my ancestors that I would see in fashion weeks, but there were few black people”, said Luiza Brasil, columnist for Glamour Brasil. She was selected Woman of the Year for the 2019 Glamour Generation Award among the Social Influencers Against Racism 2019.

Black Awareness: a look at inclusive fashion

The movement for change in the fashion industry is occurring worldwide and we find great examples spread across the four continents. In May 2021, the Prada Group announced initiatives to deepen its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This includes actions such as a full scholarship at the FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York for an American student and for a high potential female student from Ghana.

North American luxury retailer Nordstrom has added new brands with representation into its mix, and donated part of its profits to the Kind (Kids in Need of Defense) association.

In Brazil, Sankofa, a co-author of the Pretos na Moda movement and the social innovation startup Vamo (Vetro Afro Indigenous in Fashion), supports racialized entrepreneurs in Brazilian fashion and aims to promote inclusion and give visibility and support emerging brands of racialized entrepreneurs. Find out more… 

Dialogues

How does your brand dialogue with different audiences? How does it identify them and approach their cultural and behavioral characteristics?

A Google initiative to expand the inclusion and equity debate presented numbers that prove: “50% of LGBTQIA+ people say they are willing to prioritize a brand that supports the cause, while 69% of black consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that positively reflects their race/ethnicity in its advertising.”

“A first step towards racial equality? ‘Improving the quality of work fundamentally.’”

JP Julien co-leads McKinsey & Company’s ‘Institute for Black Economic Mobility’, and led research for ‘The Economic State of Black America:’ what it is and what it could be.

For this report, JP Julien and a team of researchers and experts from the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility and the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) provided extensive analysis to understand and quantify the roles that black Americans play in the economy – as workers, business owners, consumers, savers, investors, and residents.

For some black leaders, the most inspiring change comes when boards and leadership teams think of racial equality as the core of their business, not just part of corporate social responsibility programs.

According to the survey, black consumers will pay up to 20% more for custom-made products. So, when combined with total income parity, it results in an opportunity of nearly US$700 billion in potential value.

Visibility, Voice, and Incentive in Fashion

CaSandra Diggs, presidente of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), shared her views in an interview with McKinsey on how the fashion industry can promote greater visibility, voice, and encouragement for diverse talent.

As presidente of the CFDA, Diggs develops strategies to present the Council’s purpose of advocating and education its members and the fashion industry at large.

In February 2021, the CFDA, in partnership with PVH Corp., presented McKinsey‘s research and analysis in the State of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Fashion report to develop a framework for progress toward equitable workplaces in the US fashion industry.

“One of the things we’re trying to do differently is to broaden the reach and let in more voices that aren’t the typical fashion voices”; “I would love to see more people and more ideas in the industry. Steel sharpens steel: if you are creative and I am creative, we can exchange ideas and elevate each other. The level of innovation and creativity would skyrocket”, says CaSandra Diggs.

The report for fashion companies recommends initiatives to promote diversity, equality, and inclusion. The first step is to align internal structures and policies, then activate groups externally – Black Lives Matter groups, educational institutions, or government institutions.

“When people think about equity, they think it’s a zero-sum game: if I need to help you, that means I have to stop helping someone else. Or someone loses because someone else wins. I don’t see equity like that. I see equity as a level of achievement. Most people focus on diversity and inclusion, but even when you have visibility and voice, do you have control over decision making processes? This is for me what equity is: it is having power of decision”, CaSandra Diggs.

“’The fashion industry must be as diverse as its consumers:’ a PVH perspective”

Lance LaVergne, director of diversity at PVH Corp., discussed how fashion companies can attract young people and help emerging designers – and what it will take to break the status quo.

He saw a substantial shift in the way some companies approach talent acquisition and retention through their diversity and recruiting roles.

Diversity as a Business Imperative

Also, according to McKinsey consultancy, companies have moved from focusing exclusively on diversity to also focusing on inclusion – ensuring that people are involved and engaged, despite any differences in origins – and, more recently, on belonging and equity, which LaVergne considers it to be the most interesting evolution.

In August 2020, LaVergne joined PVH Corp. to lead global talent acquisition in the company’s newly expanded role of director of diversity

“On the first day of this year’s Black History Month – February 1, 2021 – PVH Corp., in partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), released the State of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Fashion report, which is based on McKinsey Research and Analysis”, McKinsey.

“[the report] is excellent because it not only analyzes the issues but also identifies specific actions that people and organizations can take”, Lance LaVergne.

Diversity as a Global Quest

“We are in one of the most interesting moments we’ve seen in a generation, and it’s times like these, times of difficulty and retraction, when you realize the importance of diversity and inclusion work. When economy or opportunity establish contracts, that is when people and companies make tough decisions, and sometimes those decisions can revert to old behaviors and old ways. That’s when it’s especially important to lean from a DE & I perspective, to ensure that business decisions are based on objective measures, so that the progress you’ve made in creating greater diversity, equity, and inclusion survives these disruptive periods”, McKinsey.

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