There are no excuses as to why there is not an increased presence of Black artists and talent in the fashion industry. Black people, Africa, and the diaspora have provided the inspiration and foundations of fashion - our precious metals, our fabrics, our style and choreography, even our bodies - yet we have been treated like raw materials, denigrated and stripped of our humanity while lacking proper representation to shift the narratives of harmful stereotypes about Black life, culture, and Blackness only being beautiful when interpreted through a white gaze. The industry needs to start including more Black people at the center of the work to change this.
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The BIFC x #ChangeFashion Directory was created out of Color Of Change’s #ChangeFashion initiative, a vertical within the Color Of Change #ChangeIndustries work dedicated to eradicating racism in the fashion industry. The directory’s goal is to provide brands with an easy resource to hire Black talent.
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This directory is a resource for any brand in hopes of a commitment to addressing historical racism and systemic inequity in the fashion industry. This directory features Black-identifying photographers, makeup artists, set designers, and more, with a geographic reach that expands across the world. With this partnership, we rally companies and talent to restore equity and advance racial justice in the fashion industry.