Diversity news and archive

Study reveals most common complaints of plus-size fashion consumers

While the average consumer today is considered 'plus size’ - that is wearing size 16 UK (44 EU or 18 US) or larger - plus-size clothing remains grossly underrepresented in the fashion industry. Despite the plus-size clothing market estimated to be worth over 11,1 billion US dollars in 2022 and there being 32 billion views on video hosting...

RetailFeatured

Square's Forward program awards funding to 25 Black and Latino small businesses

Forward, the accelerator program by Square to support early-stage Black and Latino small businesses in the retail sector, received over a thousand applicants by its April 1st deadline. The majority were women-owned businesses. The inaugural program was launched in partnership with 1863 Ventures, American Express, and Social Change Fund United,...

Fashion

Vogue Philippines features oldest model, a 106 year-old tattoo artist

It is not often seniors grace the cover of fashion magazines, let alone centenarians. Enter Vogue Philippines, where Apo Whang-Od, a 106 year-old tattoo artist from Buscalan, a village some twelve hours from Manila, is featured on the publication’s April issue. The first female tattoo artist in her region at the time, Ms Whang-Od began her...

Business

Nike selects former Twitter exec as new chief DE&I officer

Sportswear giant Nike has named James Loduca as its new chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, succeeding Jarvis Sam who left the company in November. Loduca announced the appointment on his LinkedIn, where he said: “In an increasingly polarised time, sport is one of the few things that still brings us together. “Nike believes that if...

Business

Nordstrom partners with The Folklore Group to diversify brand assortment

Department store retailer Nordstrom has announced a new partnership with The Folklore Group in a bid to expand and diversify its brand assortment. The deal will see the US chain utilise The Folklore Connect platform, an e-commerce tool that aids in the identification of fashion and lifestyle brands founded by Black, Latinx, Asian and other...

Business

Fashion industry-backed Black Carpet Awards takes place for first time

The Black Carpet Awards, an event created by the Afro Fashion Association, took place for the first time on the evening of February 24, in conjunction with Milan Fashion Week. Despite it being the debut edition, the award ceremony had already found many partners in the fashion industry, including the likes of Capri Holdings, Condé Nast and Vogue...

Business

The (Fashion) Minority Report launches newspaper

As part of its efforts to drive conversations around equity, inclusion and culture, The (Fashion) Minority Report has unveiled a new newspaper that looks to spotlight these discussions in the creative sectors. Unveiled ahead of London Fashion Week during an event at Browns, ‘The Reporter’ is to be an inaugural publication, available in both...

BusinessFeatured

Getting a job in fashion “is harder” if you’re an ethnic minority

According to new research from London-based fashion campaigners, the (Fashion) Minority Report, 40 percent of industry professionals believe fashion still favours white employees over those from an ethnic minority background. The (Fashion) Minority Report, which strives for equity in the fashion world, found that 51 percent of the industry...

Business

Asos to drive diversity in partnership with Fashion Minority Report

Online retailer Asos is teaming up with Fashion Minority Report (FMR), a platform aiming to create inclusive workplaces to help inspire the next generation of creatives and drive diversity across the industry. In a statement, Asos said it will support several of FMR’s projects that help emerging talent from diverse backgrounds explore their...

Business

Afro Fashion Association to host first edition of Black Carpet Awards

Building on its efforts to diversify the fashion industry, the Afro Fashion Association has announced the launch of a new gala event, the Black Carpet Awards. The event will take place during the upcoming Milan Fashion Week, on February 22, 2023, in Milan. The first edition is set to focus on Italy, but the organisation said it has already set...

Business

Zalando emphasises support for underrepresented communities in latest D&I report

European marketplace Zalando published the third edition of its annual diversity and inclusion (D&I) report, in which it outlined its progress over the 12 commitments made as part of its Do.Better strategy. In the report, the company said it had increased the amount of Black-owned brands over the past year, onboarding a total of 63 labels within...

Fashion

IED shapes diversity

When it comes to fashion, it may be wrong to reduce diversity only to skin color, gender or age. This is a phenomenon that should be considered from the very first point of the design process. To understand the urgency, let's look at 'diversity' in the fashion industry more generally. People tend to think in binary terms, whereas an inclusive...