Black in Fashion Council

In the midst of Black Lives Matter protests ,triggered by the police shooting of George Floyd, fashion and beauty businesses, as well as

the magazines that cover them, are being spotlighted to ascend to

new levels of accountability for their involvement in systemic racism. To answer this need for

change, Lindsay Peoples Wagner, previous Editor and Chief at Teen Vogue’s editor in chief, and Sandrine Charles,

, public relations professional, launched the Black in Fashion Council (BIFC) in late June 2020. by collaborating with companies

and holding them accountable for implementing internal reforms to promote diversity and inclusion. The

council presently works with roughly 75 companies worldwide, including brands such as Calvin Klein, Fossil,

and H&M.

The council’s purpose is to represent, foster, and safeguard the growth of Black professionals in the fashion and beauty industries. They envisage workforces in which Black Americans are represented and amplified at not only every level, but at the roles of both junior-level and C-Suite, and collaborate with allies to build diverse environments that accurately reflect what the world looks like in general. Simply put, they want to encourage individuals in the sector to rise to the occasion rather than simply being called out, for long-term, sustainable change.”

“Brands have expressed a commitment to engage with the Black in Fashion Council for the next three years, as

well as with the Human Rights Campaign, to put policy into practice further to demonstrate their commitment

to Black staff at all levels,” according to the BIFC. They will also work with the Human Rights Campaign to

establish policies that demonstrate their commitment to Black employees at all levels. The Black in Fashion

Council is made up of approximately 400 Black fashion and beauty stakeholders from various professions, and

it has already gotten backing from groups such as the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

CFDA has also pledged to “create structural change” in the industry through an in-house employment program

for Black talent, a mentoring and internship program, and the development of a diversity and inclusion training

program for members.

Peoples Wagner and Charles have also created an equality index score that will serve as a standard for

company policies and practices that are "relevant to the inclusion of Black employees." The Black in Fashion

Council will issue a public report once a year to track the work that firms that have signed a three-year

commitment promise are doing to promote the representation of Black personnel at all levels.

The Council’s executive board, which includes names like GQ deputy fashion director Nikki Ogunnaike,

costume designer Shiona Turini, and Brandice Daniel, the originator of Harlem Fashion Row, will assist in

facilitating the work that the firms have pledged to execute..

While it is evident that the fashion industry has a long way to go in its attempts to become more diverse and

inclusive, the Black in Fashion Council is ensuring that Black people not only have a seat at the table, but also

lead the discussion.

The first equality index score from the Council will be reported in June 2021. It will also provide a digital

database of Black fashion and beauty specialists for firms to acquire in order to help them diversify their

workforces. BIFC is accepting membership applications and donations, find out more on their official website:

https://www.blackinfashioncouncil.com/