What fashion's advocacy will look like in the Trump era.
In this week's Careers Newsletter, read BoF senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young's latest: What Fashion's Advocacy Will Look Like in the Trump Era. Sitting in a Los Angeles hotel room on a recent afternoon, where a photo shoot for his latest collection is underway, Willy Chavarria is in tears. The 2024 CFDA menswear designer of the year is trying to find the words to describe how Donald Trump's election victory has affected his immigrant family, whom he's been visiting while in California. "I'm here with my family, and racism has played such a big part in their lives — especially for the older generation," Chavarria said, his head bowed as he wiped his eyes. "It's hitting them really hard right now." Known for his Chicano-inspired take on menswear, Chavarria is among the most outspoken in what has become a dwindling class of fashion leaders who have consistently advocated for progressive causes on the runway, Instagram and beyond. Donald Trump's election last month, and surprisingly robust support for the candidate among young and diverse voters, has caused some in the industry to question whether there's a future for fashion's activists. Brands were already becoming wary of speaking out in the wake of the Supreme Court's 2023 reversal of affirmative action, which gave legal teeth to growing pushback against corporate diversity initiatives. Still, Trump's victory and the looming policy threats it brings — mass deportation, tariffs, and divisive stances on women's, LGBTQ, and immigrant rights — are likely to create new pressure for fashion and beauty brands to rejoin the discourse. Whether they intend to speak up or stay out of it, brands and retailers need to be ready to explain that decision to their customers, experts say. → READ MORE | |
|
| The State of Fashion 2025 by McKinsey & Company and BoF Insights | Fashion executives are feeling pessimistic about 2025. A long-expected post-Covid spending slowdown has arrived, while geopolitical tensions remain high. But there are still pockets of opportunity in promising new markets, in underserved customer groups and at new frontiers in customer experience, powered by artificial intelligence. Download The State of Fashion 2025 now to explore the 10 themes that will define the industry in the year ahead. | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment