An Open Letter | June 3, 2020
4 Min. Read | A.M.
Fashion is inexorably connected to so many facets of our lives.
The world of fashion is interpreted as glamorous, often calling out the spectacular as we become lost in the spectacle.
More recently, fashion has become grounded in reality, being seen as irrelevant, damaging, too fast, too exclusive, too expensive, too cheap, inaccessible, and easily forgotten.
These are fair criticisms.
And a defining characteristic of fashion is the fantasy with which we are allowed to express ourselves.
But it is our present reality that compels us to adopt better practices that promote essential human rights and opportunities for all.
Critically, fashion has historically been upheld by racist policies. And sadly, people, often without knowledge or intent aforethought. Which sounds harsh, but true.
The narrative of American Fashion has been dominated by American brands that have inspired us to become better versions of ourselves through their expressions in fashion. And certainly progress has been made over the decades.
However, the images they have presented uphold a narrative of the wealthy American citizen as predominately white, which is a tragic reinforcement of historically racist policies. This is not an indictment on these brands or the people who founded them. It is important, however, to acknowledge the role that both politics and fashion have played in shaping our culture through a painfully narrow lens.
The senseless death of George Floyd while in police custody was the latest in a series of tragic deaths at the hands of police within the African-American community, which is compounded by decades of injustice, and more recently, a disproportionate loss due to COVID-19. And serves as yet another reminder of the policies that are in place that reinforce inequity and inequality for many communities in the United States, as well as the marketing and advertising that reinforces a traditionally myopic American ideal that remains out of reach for so many.
We are a nation in pain.
But that is not the end of the story.
America is a beautiful nation filled with beautiful diversity. We are deeply compassionate at our core and strive to remain open-minded. We are not perfect. But when we stumble, it is our community that catches us and helps us rise up when we cannot stand on our own.
Seattle Fashion Collective is fairly new. We have been around for 3 years, yet only this year launched our quarterly magazine. We have released two issues this year, and look forward to our upcoming releases. We're staffed by a wonderful diversity of enthusiastic volunteers. Yet we do not yet have any policies related to social justice and antiracism.
That changes now.
Though we are small, we are fierce. Our core values have not changed. We exist to connect our readers and viewers with the Northwest fashion community and industry with timely and relevant stories that shine light on local fashion.
We will not shy away from difficult discussions, especially when they give voice to the voiceless.
And we will celebrate the rich diversity and creativity that the Pacific Northwest brings to the international fashion conversation.
Black Lives Matter. Period.
And it's incredibly encouraging to see our Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latinx, LGBTQ+ and all of our communities standing in power to affirm the dignity and equality that's overdue.
We will get things wrong along the way. We're still learning. And we're grateful that when we stumble, our community will not allow us to fall. And you can expect the same from us.
As of this writing, multiple demonstrations have been met with hostility and violence. But what none of us see are the hours of continued peaceful civil disobedience that are met with respect on all sides. From Westlake Center to Capitol Hill, there have been more instances of peace than anything else.
And it should come as no surprise that we wholeheartedly support everyone's First Amendment rights.
More gatherings are scheduled in the days to come. And there are those that would hijack a peaceful message of just change for their own purposes. Please exercise your right to free speech safely. And remember that our global family in multiple countries stand in agreement and solidarity.
The future is unwritten. We are all its authors. Now is the time for fashion to create a vision of the future to which we all belong.
As former President Barack Obama reminded us again today, it is a marathon, not a sprint, quoting the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Together, we will bend it.
Below are resources for education and action:
Official George Floyd Memorial Fund
Black Lives Matter Seattle Freedom Fund
Campaign Zero — Providing data analysis and solutions to end police violence in America
Obama Foundation — Anguish Into Action, with many additional links to resources for education and social reform
TED Talk with Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff — Data-driven approach to eliminating racially motivated policing tactics
Interview with Ibram X. Kendi — Discussion about antiracism with links for further reading
Puget Soundkeeper — Local non-profit with many useful links for engaging in environmental and racial justice.