2024, the year of rising fashion, is here! It would be long before we get over that Elie Saab couture outfit Thuso Mbedu wore in Cannes. The lovely pink hue wooed our minds.
Sadly, fashion is not just what our minds have been fed. It’s not only about Fan Bingbing portraying her opulent Georges Hobeika couture or Adriana Lima setting the ramp on fire.
For a long time, the fashion industry has captivated our attention. It alters the way we perceive our place in society. As a result, the lack of diversity in the fashion industry has certainly prejudiced our minds against certain races, creeds, and even body types.
People of Various Sizes, Ages, and Races In Fashion
Neon Moon and Aerie were not the only brands that included varied body types in their advertisement campaigns. Next in line is the Selfridges’ underwear ad featuring a diversified set of models.
The short film titled ‘Incredible Machines’ basically highlights the underwear brand. It features five women and discusses their background along with their body type. There’s Naomi Shimada, Ruqsana Begum, and Shamadean Reid.
The campaign sparked an interest in the minds of youth who now perceive beauty as something else. It challenges conventional lingerie advertising by women who have sleek figures or white skin.
A List Of Inclusive Fashion Campaigns Of The Decade
The decade before was itself an introductory phase of body inclusivity in fashion. It has left an impeccable mark on fashion. We might expect to see a lot of things changing in fashion, and the beginning is here! Check out some inclusive fashion ads here:
Beyonce Featured By Tyler Mitchell In Vogue’s Cover
When there’s fashion, there’s the mention of Vogue. We consume it as an epitome of defining beauty and current fashion trends. September 2018 became epic when Tyler Mitchell, the first ever Black photographer, shot Beyonce for Vogue’s cover.
This publicity stunt changed the existing scenario of the fashion industry and introduced inclusivity. In order to make the fashion industry popular and robust, we have to bring in people from diverse backgrounds.
Black models need introduction not just on the Mag covers but also behind the scenes!
Cosmopolitan Cover With Tess Holliday’s Flying Kiss
Tess Holliday literally shut up trolls with her sensational cover on Cosmopolitan UK. It was one of those inclusive fashion campaigns which featured a plus-size woman wearing a bathing suit. It really changed the definition of fashion in young minds.
Many fans took inspiration from the cover as it provided them with the representation they had been looking for so long. And that wasn’t the only time when Tess broke down barriers. From posting bold images on Instagram to fearlessly giving interviews, Tess is the epitome of body-inclusive fashion.
Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Launch
Back in 2017, when Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty, the beauty industry was shaken to its core. Fans couldn’t believe this bold step with Rihanna sitting at the peak. The brand certainly redefines makeup by launching color-friendly makeup products.
In just two years, Fenty Beauty grew exponentially. The change was visible from 40 to 50 shades, and the brand was titled as one of the Top 50 Most Genious Companies in 2018 Time Magazine.
Rihanna took things a step forward by launching FentyXSavage- a brand producing size-inclusive lingerie.
Ashley Graham On The Cover Page Of Sports Illustrated
Talk body inclusivity and Ashley Graham’s name start revolving. She has been a representation of size inclusivity in the fashion world. Not only did Graham advocate for plus sizes, but she also encouraged body positivity on her socials.
When Sports Illustrated featured her in their 2016 cover story, the world became her fan. Plus-sized people who have always been a subject of bully and negative remarks got the courage to show their natural curves with this cover.
Size-Inclusive Brand: Universal Standard
I can recall so many brands that call themselves size-inclusive but do not go beyond the size 20-24. However, Universal Standard isn’t one of them because it sticks to what it claims.
They declared clothing sizes from 00 to 40 in May 2019. This made the brand more size-inclusive, and praise started pouring from all over the world.
Actual fashion inclusivity comes when there are options for everyone. And guess what? Universal Standard has been doing it successfully!
Covergirl’s Inclusive Fashion Campaigns
A lot of my friends grew up with Covergirl in their houses, not Vogue magazines. The beauty brand has remained true to its commitment to diversity. It features women of color, including Issa Rae and Ayesha Curry.
In fact, they were the first models for Covergirl, along with Amy Deanne. In an Elle Interview, Uknowa Ojo, the senior vice president of Covergil, captioned,
“Diversity is not a trend at Covergirl. Embracing diversity means truly embracing the diversity in our individuality. The insight behind our campaign is that people consider makeup more than a cosmetic, but a tool for creativity, self-expression, and personal transformation..”
The Pirelli Calendar Campaign Featuring Candice Huffine
Candice Huffine has been very vocal about the plus-sized community, and she has worked alongside Christian Siriano and other recognized designers.
She had the opportunity to become the first body-inclusive model at Pirelli Calendar. Candice shared her happiness in The Cut interview, saying that Pirelli really made a brilliant move this time.
The concept that fashion comes in different sizes and shapes has contributed heavily to this campaign.
Telfar, Christopher John Rogers and Pyer Moss Winning CFDA
Can we forget the significance of the CFDA award when it comes to fashion? Not only do they honor upcoming designers, but they have also promoted body inclusivity in various ways.
When Telfar, Christopher John Rogers, and Pyer Moss won the CFDA, the Black men contended for recognition. It welcomed diversity in the mainstream fashion industry. Suddenly, there was a normalization in every dress that was created.
With the award, all of them received assistance as well as mentorship to make their brand more popular.
Louis Vuitton’s Inclusive Fashion Campaign Featuring Indya Moore
January 2019 was memorable in the history of fashion when Louis Vuitton, a mainstream fashion brand, jazzed things up.
The feature of Indya Moore, a transgender actress as well as Pose celebrity, for the Spring campaign was absolutely unforgettable.
Nicolas Ghesquire was interviewed about the same and wrote that such women embrace a multitude of personalities representing fashion here at Louis Vuitton!
Gucci X Dapper Dan
One of the leading fashion voices, Dapper Dan, also made some impeccable difference in the industry. In 2017, things changed when Dapper decided to collaborate with Gucci and create a business.
What came next? Dapper became a leader to be looked upon, and his decisions helped Gucci rectify its previous mistakes. The partnership became successful and represented themselves as a fulfilled luxury brand.
Ted Talks With Sinead Burke
In a size-exclusive industry like fashion, Sinead has no less struggles. When she TEDTalked in 2017, it was named- “why design should include everyone?”
Here, she talks about how being a 3’5” woman makes it so difficult for you to thrive in the fashion world.
Sinead’s TED Talk was a unique one that gave voice to a lot of people. If you truely want to be motivated and encouraged, go listen to it now!
Why Are Brands Focusing More On Size Inclusivity?
Inclusive fashion campaigns are not recently introduced to industries; they have always been there. But what caused fashion brands to think so much about it? Have you ever wondered?
First things first, consumers have started complaining about how less diversified the world of fashion is. If a brand truely wants to satisfy their target consumers, they have to be versatile. In this regard, who wears what size is an unnecessary question to raise.
Careo, a brand strategist, has talked about the increasing plus-size market after subsequent tweets and Instagram posts. The shift is likely to focus more on representation in the apparel industry and will encourage plus-sized people to come forward.
A number of things have been put in the wrong fashion in the glamour industry. When it comes to males, there are chiseled bodies and, of course, less inclusion. But what’s today doesn’t always have to be the same.
Things are changing; people like to talk about differences. Models like Ashley and Tess have already started changing the fashion industry’s dynamics. Yet, a few brands are way behind to become size-inclusive.
The Bottom Line
Speaking of inclusivity, the fashion industry can become more sustainable if professionals start taking inclusivity seriously. Working alongside like-minded designers will help promote an inclusive world.
These inclusive fashion campaigns have created pressure on those who are still not big fans of diversity. The time is to change themselves and fit into a more positive world.
After all, acceptance is all that we need!
With that, here comes an end to this article. Do not forget to share your thoughts on this by commenting below. Keep reading!
Continue Reading:
