![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/diversity2.jpg\")
AW18 collections from left to right: Chromat, Eckhaus Latta, Balenciaga, Vetements, Molly Goddard. Images courtesy of their respective brands.<\/p>\n AW18 collections from left to right: Chromat, Eckhaus Latta, Balenciaga, Vetements, Molly Goddard. Images courtesy of their respective brands.<\/p>\n
With Spring 2018 being the most racially inclusive runway to date (30.8% models of colour), there were high hopes for diversity casting in AW18. But this fashion month didn\u2019t bring differences between designers to the fore as much as differences between continents. New York Fashion Week has shown itself to be much more inclusive than its European counterparts. Three standout shows illustrated what fashion could and should be: Christian Siriano, Eckhaus Latta and Chromat. The three are schooling the fashion world in \u201cdiversity\u201d, a term which has far broader implications than race. In Chromat\u2019s show alone, nonbinary, transgender, differently abled, curvy, Muslim, Asian, black and Hispanic women of varying ages marched down the runway, acknowledging the true breadth of identity categories that constitute mass-representation. Those chosen to represent Chromat this season were more than just visually diverse; notable participants included trans-activist Gene Rocero, breast-cancer activist Ericka Heart and Emme- the world\u2019s first \u201cplus sized\u201d model. Christian Siriano sent actress Selma Blaire down the runway, one of the first women to come forward and catalyse the #MeToo movement. Their laudable castings demand for a re-evaluation of the role of the model in contemporary culture. These designers are challenging others to question who they put on a pedestal \u2014 and what kinds of role models they are promoting to a generation of young people shaped by the media. <\/span><\/p>\n If history is comprised of runway after runway of skinny white women, a fixation with honouring history has previously impeded progress. In Europe, home of the grand old houses, there were signs of change, finally. Anok Yai was the first black women to open Prada since Naomi Campbell 20 years prior, Comme Des Gar\u00e7on cast a black model for the first time since 1994, Halima walked for Max Mara in hijab. Balenciaga have also seriously upped their game since facing backlash about their lack of diversity. We might well ask why it has taken so long, but change is coming.<\/span> The era of the conception of \u201cmodel as blank canvas\u201d has come to an end. Designers are ever so slowly recognising their social responsibilities and acknowledging that everything they send down the runway has the power to impact broader culture. Purveyors of fashion are no longer accepting the sample sized white woman as a given. This charge has been long been lead by young, vivacious brands, from Eckhaus Latta to Molly Goddard to Off-White, as well as accounts like @moremodelsofcolor calling out what needs to be called out. They\u2019re unanchored to the past and have the freedom to create their legacies in the present \u2013 legacies as brands which strive toward mass-representation. What\u2019s interesting is that the big houses are finally catching up.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We take a deeper look into the brands schooling the fashion world in diversity for this fashion month \u2014 a term that goes well beyond race.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":62552,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[9414,263,10269,1260,176,6092,2945,10270,10271,3168,10272,8213,10273,3012,10274,183,10275,3015,10276,3874,2734],"class_list":["post-62535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fashion","tag-metoo","tag-balenciaga","tag-christian-siriano","tag-chromat","tag-comme-des-garcons","tag-diversity","tag-eckhaus-latta","tag-emme","tag-ericka-heart","tag-gareth-pugh","tag-gene-rocero","tag-gmbh","tag-models-of-colour","tag-molly-goddard","tag-nonbinary","tag-prada","tag-selma-blaire","tag-simone-rocha","tag-teatum-jones","tag-transgender","tag-vetements"],"acf":{"main_category":null,"legacy":"1","exclude_from_ads":null,"hero_title":null,"subtitle":null,"hero":null,"teasers":null,"facebook_image":null,"related_articles":null,"next_article":null,"sleek_card_focus":null,"content":null},"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Balenciaga.jpg\")
Balenciaga AW18, image courtesy of Balenciaga<\/p>\n
\nIn London, Simone Rocha, Gareth Pugh and Teatum Jones cast models over 50, giving a much needed nod to the narrowness of fashion\u2019s preferred age range. Molly Goddard deserves recognition for a show that was largely non-binary, had more size variety than most and featured a look with a hijab. In Paris, Off-White\u2019s show included 23 (out of 43) non-white models. But Berlin-based GmbH set the bar for diversity casting, with a 71% MOC ratio. \u00a0<\/span>
\nhttps:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BeRCiXhhehf\/?hl=en&taken-by=serhatisik__
\nEurope\u2019s most blatant diversity shortcoming is in size \u2014 and that hasn\u2019t gone unnoticed. In London, model Hayley Hasselhof lead a protest with other models representing sizes ranging from 16-26. The gang, outfitted in lingerie, held signs stating \u201ccurves shouldn\u2019t mean compromise\u201d and \u201cLFW: where are the curves?\u201d. Though their protest was London focused, the question should be directed to Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks with equal ferocity. <\/span>
\nTrans-visibility has increased across the board. In Europe, model Teddy Quinlivan walked for Coach, Gucci, Moschino, Versace, Dior, Saint Laurent and Maison Margiela. Alexander McQueen showed age range and a smidge of size range by again casting \u201ccurve\u201d model Betsy Teske. Teske, made fashion history last season by being the first ever \u201cplus-size\u201d model to walk Paris Fashion Week.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/MollyGoddard.jpg\")
Molly Goddard AW18, courtesy of Molly Goddard<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Prada.jpg\")
Prada AW18, courtesy of Prada<\/p>\n