Truth Is...
The industry only cares about diversity when it’s profitable. Why don’t you demand accountability instead of clapping for crumbs?
The fashion industry loves to talk about inclusivity, but when it comes to actual power? It’s still the same old white boys’ club, sitting comfortably on generational wealth, making decisions about what “diversity” looks like.
Who gets the funding? Who gets the magazine covers? Who gets the top creative director roles at legacy houses? White men, 9.9 times out of 10.
Creative directors rotate in and out like a well-oiled machine, and when the dust settles, another white man takes the throne, as predictable as night turning into day. Because in fashion, change is seasonal, but gatekeeping is forever.
When Louis Vuitton needed a new menswear creative director, they called Pharrell—a talented artist, yes, but not a designer—because fashion’s idea of inclusion is to hand Black talent a high-profile role only when it makes headlines. Meanwhile, qualified Black designers are still waiting for the opportunities their white counterparts receive effortlessly.
The industry pushes out Black and brown models when the trend shifts back to heroin chic—a nasty era, but that’s a conversation for another day. It sidelines size inclusivity the moment it stops generating clicks. Diversity is only embraced when it’s profitable, and the moment it isn’t? These brands go right back to their status quo, hoping we won’t notice.
So why are you still applauding? Why are you throwing praise at an industry that treats inclusion like a marketing gimmick instead of a necessity? Stop clapping for crumbs. Start demanding real power shifts. Because until the decision-makers actually reflect the diversity they exploit for profit, the change isn’t real—it’s just another campaign.
Until next time...
Truth Is is a monthly column by Carella.
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