Story by: Cordelia Tai | Photography courtesy of: Imaxtree
While diverse representation in fashion is far from where it should be, there’s no doubt it’s on the rise. “Certainly in the last 10 years, when the question of diversity not only entered the spotlight but became a sustained topic of conversation, there’s been undeniable progress,” observes The Washington Post fashion critic Robin Givhan. “The statistics show it, but you can see it anecdotally, which in some ways is even more important. It’s one thing to quote statistics that include a look at minor shows, mass-market brands and barely known design houses. It’s something else when you can recall the diverse cast at major, influential shows, such as Calvin Klein or Marc Jacobs.”
Those who watched Marc Jacobs’ 25th-anniversary Spring 2018 show likely noted that over half the models were women of color. Happily, the blatant diversity on Jacobs’ runway was, as Givhan suggests, evidence of a larger trend. Bear with us as we quote the statistics.
RACE
Spring 2018 was the most racially diverse New York Fashion Week in recent history. After examining 94 major New York shows and tallying 2,601 runway appearances, we found that 63.1 percent of castings were white and 36.9 percent were nonwhite. This is the first time that nonwhite models have accounted for this large of a percentage. Until now, the Fall 2016 season held the racial diversity record with 31.9 percent nonwhite model castings. Fall 2017, which saw 31.5 percent nonwhite model castings, came in a close second.
Another notable fact: for the first time in NYFW history, every single runway included at least two models of color. (Last season was the first wherein every runway featured at least one model of color.)
To read the full article visit www.thefashionspot.com.
