Fashion has always been seen and appreciated as a safe haven by those who felt isolated. Despite the fashion industry’s systematic racist and classist culture, on the surface level for most brands, it exudes a reachable dream that promises beauty and desire, emotions that we as humans all want to feel. For the rich, poor, gay, straight, white or black, fashion is a common meeting ground which enables us to all appropriate it to feel included and desirable.
It is then no surprise that given the socio-political climate we are living in, most brands have opted to use political correctness and inclusivity for the most part as a form of marketing tool to gain mileage. We are, of course, also living in an era where the call-out culture has gained momentum and no brand wants the risk of being ‘dragged’, a concept whereby the brand gets ridiculed on social platforms without any remorse, as seen with with H&M a few weeks ago. However, the internet, which is both a blessing and a curse, offers a new dimension on how we look at conflict, controversy and how relatively easy it has become to dismiss the unkind, a blessing for those who feel unrepresented.
During the course of this past week, which was