Diversity is becoming as much of a buzz word as that of GRLPWR or another feminist rant; hopefully neither are going to dissolve like a last years trend of the fishnet tight, vulgarly peeking out of teenage-ripped jeans (Worn it, regret it.).
Think British Vogue's September cover celebrating models from past, present and future, unfortunately, with an all white cast; casually ticking the exotic box with Nora Attal. Fast forward to Edward Enninful's appointment, featuring Adwoa Aboah on his first cover (one could say a safe choice since she is a prominent in the fashion industry and a very much celebrated activist). May issue, on the other hand, has made quiet a stir: nine models photographed for the cover, among which Halima Aden, Somalia American model whom famously has kept her hijab since the beginning of her modelling career (starting off with Miss Minnesota USA pageant); curvy figured Paloma Elsesser, modern beauty Selena Forrest and many other girls representing a handful of racial diversity and skin colour. Whether a trending trick, or a social shift, which is with luck here to stay - the rest of the magazines favouring the Kaias, the Gigis and the Bellas, will surely take a while to follow.
Not to mention an incident, which has appeared not so long ago but everyone seemed very easily to forget about and move on - that is the N word surfacing a Russian kitchen. Haute couture Russian designer Ulyana Sergeenko writing the obscenity on her invitation, and infamous street style star and respected young business entrepreneur Miroslava Duma showing it off to the world via a snap in her Instagram story. As the claimed inside joke from Sergeenko to Duma has made its round, the online publications put a semi-effort into covering the story. Tiptoeing around the subject, stating the facts and leaving the screenshots for the public to engage in, the comments blazing with the raging fury. Of course throwing a tome of To Kill A Mockingbird at the Russian ladies will sadly be of no help. Yet, none of the publications took their chances to address the racial issue with a proper discussion.
Thankfully diversity was put forward when the trend-setting mouthy Goddess, Rihanna, launched 40 (!) foundation shades with her sought-after line Fenty Beauty. Estee Lauder and Color Pop jumped the opportunity with campaigns varying in skin colour.
The inclusion seems to be the safest swing in the playground of content marketing. Chromat and Gypsy Sport are yet to be topped up by others (hint: you are too late and you cannot). Sending someone like Ericka Hart down the runway is always a win. The question is: are brands, magazines and make up moguls are being genuine ? Remember when Rihanna was the first black woman as the face of Dior for a split second?
Is fashion celebrating authenticity (exuse moi for the wildly overused word) or throwing its claws into another marketing stint? You tell me.