BLM & the Fashion Industry
In the wake of the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement has gained a massive spike in worldwide attention. Young people have fled to the streets to protest, adorning masks and carrying homemade signs, and coverage of these events has dominated newsfeeds. Social media feeds have been flooded with posts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Millions of dollars have been donated to countless community funds.
Although nearly three weeks after George Floyd’s death, the momentum is still going, but the energy of some is fading. The question that everyone is now asking is: how do we continue to create change? The energy on social media has been nothing short of inspiring. However, no revolution can solely rest on reposting graphics on one’s Instagram story. Social media action is important but it is not enough to enact real change. Meaningful lifestyle changes are necessary in conjunction with social sharing.
So we are left with the question: what can we do? If there was an easy answer to this question, I would not be writing this article. I am not naive to the fact that I don’t have the answer to this question. With that being said, here are some resources I have found helpful and some changes I have pledged to make in my own life to be an ally to the black community. This list is incomplete, it is imperfect, but it is a start. I hope that it stirs something inside of you that reminds you that we all need to pair our words (and posts) with action if we want to create meaningful changes within our society.
Because BOS is a fashion magazine, we felt that it was important to share ways you can be actively anti-racist in your fashion choices. As a club made for all students and a network built to empower the BC community, BCFC pledges to actively continue posting about, discussing, and promoting the initiatives of the BLM movement. We support any and all students at BC, and hope to be a resource and platform for all voices.
Within the Fashion Industry
1. Ditch Fast Fashion - Fast fashion relies on systemic racial oppression to function. According to Fashion Revolution, it is estimated that only 2% of fashion workers worldwide earn a living wage. So while countless major fashion brands and companies are releasing public statements in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, their business practices perpetuate the injustices they claim to be against. Because of this lack of transparency, it is critical that consumers do their research when it comes to choosing which brands they support. How do you find those brands? In my experience, I look out for brands that consistently support social justice and incorporate ethical values into their permanent brand mission, not just when it’s trendy. One way to concretely know that brands are ethically conscious is by checking if they are a certified B Corporation. What’s that? “Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.” If you check out this list of certified B Corporations, you may find that a lot of your favorite brands are already on there, and you may find some incredible new brands to support too!
2. Support Black-Owned Brands and Work to Elevate the Voices of Black Entrepreneurs Supporting black-owned businesses is a crucial step in working to promote racial justice in America (check out our other article). Elevating black entrepreneurs enriches communities, shrinks the racial wage gap, and celebrates black culture (Green Business Network). Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, and Allure Magazines have all published robust lists of black-owned brands in the fashion industry. I urge you to spend some time with these lists and work to see how you can incorporate them into your life.
Resources for Anti-Racism Education
*These resources are by all means not a complete list. We wanted to provide this information as a living document that we can add upon as we come across new sources of information. Please email and comment suggestions or thoughts so we can continue these discussions together.