Blog 1

The Better Lives unit was based on the themes of Diversity, Social Responsibility, and Sustainability. The aim of the unit was to explore these themes in the fashion industry through practice and critical thinking. Being a person of colour, I resonated the most with the Representation lecture conducted by Teleica Kirkland. The lecture covered various questions that arise when representation in the fashion industry is questioned. Teleica Kirkland discussed the definition of diversity and representation and its importance in-depth in the lecture. Diversity and representation in the fashion industry has increased in the recent years significantly. 

Growing up, I hardly saw anyone that looked like me in mainstream media, and the very few times I did see someone that I could relate to, the representation was very stereotypical and often inaccurate. I have first-hand experience of how stereotypical representation of people of colour can affect a person. It makes you distance yourself from your community to break free from the stereotypes. I grew up in a time when western culture was promoted as the ideal beauty type and only one type of look was seen in media. This propagated the idea that only one type of person should be featured in the media and the people without Eurocentric features did not deserve to be represented in the media. The lack of diversity was directly linked to the products that were sold in the market at the time. Fairness creams and bleaching products were marketed and sold in great volumes. This proves that misrepresentation can make people feel uncomfortable in their skin and make people go to great lengths to achieve the societal norm for beauty. 

For me, representation does not only mean showcasing people of colour in media. It is also important to involve people of colour in the process of ideation and implementation. This will retain the authenticity of the product and make companies more mindful of cultural appropriation. Everyone should be included in the discussion about diversity. Diverse representation at all levels helps us understand different perspectives in the world. It broadens our mindset and puts an end to ignorance. Kirkland also discussed how the real representation of the world would stop expectations of a mono cultured world and normalize differences in our environment. This lecture made me think about how representation will affect my fashion practice. I reflected on how it shaped has me and my creative process. I aim to use my fashion practice as a way to create awareness and start a conversation about issues in mainstream media. Through the better lives unit, I have a better understanding of Diversity, Social Responsibility, and Sustainability in the fashion industry. I am more aware of how representation has shaped me and my fashion practice.