everybody to strive to fit into ‘that’ dress. Body-positivity has been a common thread in fashion, today it includes gender, class, size, colour and more. However, true inclusivity means ensuring diversity and representation both on and offstage. Brands and diversity Recently, Sahib Singh, a four-year-old boy’s image went viral on social media when he became Burberry children’s first Sikh model. And it was instantly recognised for its hat-tip to inclusivity. Victoria’s Secret also introduced their first model with Down Syndrome. Athleisure brand Nike has been a constant champion of diversity, with its campaigns like “Until We all Win” which highlights the power of sport to unite and inspire people from diverse backgrounds. Back home, Mohey’s Kanyamaan campaign with Alia Bhatt aimed to promote a more inclusive and equal space for women in marriage and life. Through the film, Bhatt talks about a new idea that creates a union between the ritual itself and its underlying thought process placed in modern context. Dove’s StopTheBeautyTest was a powerful film which showed us real stories of beauty-based judgment and rejection faced by women during the matchmaking process, and the impact this has on their self-esteem. Inclusive marketing starts with countering stereotypes, to create a vision that consumers can resonate with and embrace. There has been a shift in campaigns featuring stories of real people told sensitively that have the power to draw an emotional connect. Fashion and racism The fashion industry has been called out for racism and its lack of representation for decades. In a 2021 UK study, 90% of respondents believed that fashion industry images did not show a range of bodies and identities, and 87.5% felt they were not represented in fashion industry advertisements or on the catwalk. The re-emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the West in the early pandemic days served as a final wake up call for fashion. The Spring 2022 Fashion Month was the most racially diverse fashion season, with 48% of appearances made by models of colour. Yet, behind the scenes, people of colour remain temporarily employed, with not enough nonwhite designers, proving that the illusion of diversity doesn’t equal a diverse industry. In terms of size inclusivity, body positivity seems to be more performative than anything else. Content creator Sanjana Rishi who recently became a mom, spoke to Luxebook about the reality of inclusivity in the industry.“I fear thatinclusivity is a trend—a lot of brands will do one ‘inclusive’ campaign, pat themselves on The idea of inclusivity has gone past merely fashion to touch upon several aspects of life. However, a large part of it remains performative and does mere lip service rather than bring in real change. As the idea takes root in the mainstream, especially among the GenZ, brands are trying to be more inclusive both in their product likes and marketing campaigns.The idea is to find clothes that fit everybody, rather than get the back, and declare themselves inclusive. But in actuality, that is at best inclusivity I’m representation. These brands need to also be inclusive of their customers by ensuring sizes are available and/or customizable without extra charge.” India’s design industry is moving towards a more progressive fashion industry with fashion weeks that are paving the path for a change in society. Brands too are adopting a more inclusive approach such as Ritu Kumar’s photo series ‘Equally Beautiful’ that features ethnically diverse models to highlight India’s ethnically diverse landscape. Noteworthy is also Gaurav Gupta’s work who has been an advocate of inclusive clothing. His ‘Name is Love’ campaign and seminar on inclusivity called the ‘The Love Festival’ focused on stories of a group of models and their struggles and triumphs with their different gender identities. The show featured trans, non-binary, and plussized models and same-sex couples wearing clothes with non-traditional embroidery and voluminous ruffles to show the fluidity of the couture. It was in 2017, when the first transgender model Anjali Lama, modelled for the Lakme Fashion Week in India and the landscape has changed since then in India. Back in 2018, Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty show was a gamechanger, as a celebration of womanhood in all shapes, colours, and sizes, #EquallyBeautiful inclusive campaign by Ritu Kumar 16|LUXEBOOK|MARCH 2023 MARCH 2023 |LUXEBOOK|17
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