Dear Fashion Industry: Here's How You Can Help Black Stylists And Designers Thrive
Dear Fashion Industry,
My name is Brittany Diego, fashion stylist and founder of Fashion Mentor™. I created my company to give people who look like me an insider’s perspective into this industry they wouldn’t normally have access to along with the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to flourish in the industry.
Even though diversity and inclusion has been a hot topic in fashion in recent years, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to make true progress.
Fashion is notoriously known for capitalizing off of ideas generated by Black people, while excluding us from opportunities.
When I first embarked on my styling career, I quickly learned how competitive fashion was and no one was willing to provide guidance on how to succeed in the industry. Through my dedication and persistence I’ve landed high profile clients like Karen Civil, Dani Leigh, and Draya Michele. I’ve gotten in the wardrobe rooms of networks including FOX, MTV, and The CW. My styling has also been highlighted at events such as the Oscars, Emmys, and BET Awards. Now that I’ve got my foot in the door of the industry, I’ve made it my duty to pay it forward and share my insider knowledge with the next generation of black creatives who aspire to break into fashion.
The fashion industry still has a lot of work to do, but here are some ways to start:
Hire Black Styling Talent
The fashion world is guilty of labeling trends “ghetto” or “ratchet” until adopted by specific non-black celebrities. Black people and our culture are responsible for how many trends? That goes totally unrecognized. Magazines, brands, companies: HIRE black stylists to style your shoots, productions, and campaigns. You know what we’re capable of— look at Misa Hylton, Law Roach, Jason Rembert, June Ambrose, Jason Bolden, and Kollin Carter. Think of how much more undiscovered talent is out there ready to give you LOOKS come next award season.
Stop Showroom Discrimination
As a stylist myself, there have been instances where I pull from a showroom and am only allowed to borrow clothing from 3 little racks for a Black client. When I pull for a non Black client the very next week suddenly the entire floor is mine? I’ve also been told that I can’t pull certain brands because my client “doesn’t fit their image.” Don’t think that I don’t peep these microaggressions! This needs to stop— now.
Provide Fashion Scholarships
The reality is there that there is still an economic disparity between Black talent and their white counterparts. There is so much untapped talent in low income areas who simply can’t afford to attend pricey 4 year schools. I know this because that was me. I was fortunate enough to receive a 4 year scholarship to fashion school. Coming from a single parent home there was no other way I could have afforded higher education if it wasn’t for that, and I often think about how different my life would be had it not been for that. Scholarships will ensure that more black creatives are afforded access to higher education where they can not only sharpen their skills, but build their crucial network in this industry.
Fund Black Designers
Fabric and other supplies add up and a lack of funding is one of the main reasons why many black designer dreams end up deferred. Designers need their talent to be nurtured and mentored by those who’ve been there. This will give them an idea of what to expect once in the industry and direct them on how to navigate. Invest in talented designers by providing them with a solid foundation to build their brands, give them a fighting chance to show at fashion weeks, and have their pieces sold in stores and boutiques.
Buy Black
To Fashion Nova and many others— stop blatantly ripping off Black designers. Buyers, we know you see the incredible Black fashion designers on Instagram and elsewhere. Make it a point to diversify your selections and invest in these designers business growth by including them in your stores.
Last but not least…
Give Us Several Seats At The Big Table
H&M, Gucci, and Moncler could have avoided those scandals. Have black creative and art directors in the room to prevent from making offensive, racist, and costly mistakes that should have been avoided in the first place. We don’t just mean 1 intern! We mean at LEAST 15-20% percent of your team needs to have some melanin.
We’ve got a ways to go especially after those black boxes get pushed down our feed but this is a start. Let’s get to work!