Diversity; a noun people could use to describe what they want to see at their workplaces, schools, and cities.
Starting his journey in Balmain at 24 as their Creative Director, Olivier Rousteing touches on the topic of diversity in fashion and what it means to have it today. Recently he spoke about it at Forces of Fashion Conference 2019 Presented by Vogue.
Rousteing talks about the choice of diversity, and how “it’s not a marketing point of view. It’s a real step for the world.” (You can check out the rest of the article here!) Although there are a lot of battles to fight for, diversity within fashion is still making more moves. Today as a society, it’s becoming more normal to see different body sizes, different races and ages being featured in major brand campaigns and adverts.
Along with being a person of color, 24-year-old Rousteing broke the boundary when he was appointed as Balmain’s Creative Director at a young age. To have more people like Rousteing is about creating a culture and a better society.
The more we understand why it’s important to be in a diverse community, the more understanding and open people become. This way there are more boundaries that are clear, and I think having this mentality within the fashion industry is important.
With trends coming and going, creative directors like Rousteing have to draw inspiration from things like music or from a friend – it can be everything and anything. Many designers also keep in mind the social and political events that are going on anywhere in the world. These events help to shape a collection’s theme/look and shows the designer’s viewpoint through the pieces they create. Their vision is carried through the models they choose to cast – a diverse group from different skin colors and sizes/heights, just like Chromat showcased for their Spring 2020 Ready-to-Wear.
Diversity is more than just having color throughout the catwalk, it’s about believing in something that’s different and not following what everyone’s doing. It’s about being different and proud.
So dare to be different – because that’s what it means to be diverse.