Accountability on the Rise: Introducing the Black in Fashion Council

It is no secret that the fashion industry, and the conversations about the fashion industry, are

changing. In the recent years, and with the specific recent catalyst of the senseless murders of

Black people by police, many brands have come under fire for their lack of diversity and often,

their apparent racism in their branding and business models. However, there is a push for

correction and change. The Black in Fashion Council is aiming to be a large part of this change

in the fashion industry.

In 2018, Lindsay Peoples Wagner published a story in The Cut about what it is truly like to be a

Black woman in fashion. She reflected on how many times, fashion has attempted to create

diversity, but never has stuck to its original plan. Wagner is correct: a proper change is needed

in fashion.

Well, change is on its way. Peoples Wagner, along with public-relations specialist Sandrine

Charles announced their co-founding of the Black in Fashion Council. Their goal, along with

400 other professionals from the industry, is to fully further and promote the advancement of

Black people within the fashion industry. The Black in Fashion Council is inspired in part by the

framework that Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index was built upon, and aims to

hold companies near and far accountable of their actions across every sector of the industry.

Companies who opt in to sharing their statistics with the Black in Fashion Council will earn

positive feedback based upon representation, campaigns, and corporate culture. As the

accountability process is a long-standing event that does not simply last for one news cycle or a

handful of months, companies are required to participate for at least 3 years, and “those who

sign on will be given the next six months to work with the council’s board members from

different facets of the industry... to make changes before submitting data for evaluation in

January 2021,” according to The Cut.

The goal of the Black in Fashion Council is not to promote cancel culture, as many outlets have

been pushing in the recent past, but rather to allow brands and companies to rise to the

occasion and challenge as well as provide resources to be the best companies they can be.

The Black in Fashion Council’s goal is to ultimately collaborate with everyone in their official

launch next month. With so many diverse ideas and, let’s face it, opinions, on how to handle

the lack of Black people and people of color, as well as the discrimination of Black people and

people of color in fashion, the Black in Fashion Council’s goal is refreshing and positive. As the

world, and specifically the world of fashion takes on the larger task of eliminating racism, it

certainly needs motivational, well-intended governing bodies like The Black in Fashion Council.

By: Emily Goldberg

Instagram: @bb.em