The fashion industry remains to be one of the toughest industries that relies entirely on women while still trying to define them. Yet individuals from all identities have persisted and shown the world that diversity and individuality are the sexiest things to walk the runway, and we couldn’t agree more! Here’s a list of 6 brands that have listened up and brought a taste of reality to the fashion world.
1. Nike’s Pro-Hijab
The Nike Pro Hijab was designed and launched thanks to the voices of professional athletes like Emirati Olympic weightlifting athlete Amna Al Haddad, Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari and Nike+ Run Club Coach Manal Rostom. These outstanding women voiced the challenges they’ve faced performing in everyday material hijabs, and to the about-damn-time relief of hijabi women all over the world, they made sure that athletic brands were listening.
2. Ashley Graham Owning the Michael Kors Runway
Several brands have finally moved to include curvy models on their runways (that’s right, double-zero is not the norm). Even though they’re kind of late to the party on this one, we can’t help but give a standing ovation for the way Ashley Graham owned the Michael Kors’ runway. This year’s New York Fashion Week was a special one for Kors since only months before he told USA Today it would be “impossible” for him to have the production and supply include curvy model sizes. Well, we’re glad you had a change of heart Michael!
3. New Fashion Designer Alert: Isabella Springmuhl Tejada
If you’re not familiar with Isabella Springmuhl Designs, get ready for this girl to change everything you thought you knew about designers. Isabella is the first 19-year old (YES, 19, you read that right) Guatemalan fashion designer with Down syndrome. If you thought her bio was enough to say “wow!”, Isabella’s designs were showcased at the International Fashion Showcase of the London Fashion Week 2016. Isabella said that her initial rejection to fashion school based on her condition is what pushed her to try even harder to get her designs out there, and we couldn’t be more amazed by her creativity and courage!
4. Trans Models Stealing the Spotlight at Marc Jacobs
If anyone ever doubted Marc Jacobs’ position on diversity, he definitely brought his image around and straight into the spotlight when he featured trans models Dara, Stav Strashko, and Casil McArthur on his runway. Jacobs’ Fall 2017 collection broke the plain and pretty-faced boundaries that we’re so used to seeing when these models walked the runway. Their powerful struts not only showed off Jacobs’ collection, but also their seats at the table.
5. Jacky O’Shaughnessy at Tome
Tome placed themselves years ahead of diversity when Jacky O’Shaughnessy walked their runway. We know the phrase “age is just a number” is already questionable in other contexts, but Jacky absolutely destroyed it in her walk down the Tome runway. Make way youngins, because she isn’t having any of your youth-based beauty stereotypes, and we’re right behind her!
6. H&M’s First-ever Unisex Denim Collection
We already love H&M for being affordable (student budgets and H&M prices have a special relationship that you adults will never understand) and they haven’t stopped there. On March 23rd, the brand banished gender norms by debuting its first-ever unisex denim collection featuring shorts, pants, dresses, and more! They already played their cards right with their Weeknd collab, but now we can agree that any “basic” collection has to look like this!
Besides all the new styles we can’t wait to rock, we can’t help but thank the very people that have shown us and the fashion world that the only real competition brands have is in their inclusivity and diversity.
Sources: Cover, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
SaveSave