Leading Racial Justice and Fashion Leaders Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Directory of Black Professionals in the Fashion Industry
Color Of Change’s #ChangeFashion Initiative and Black In Fashion Council Will Provide Brands An Easy Way To Hire Black Talent
Color Of Change and IMG’s #ChangeFashion and Black In Fashion Council announced the launch of the BIFC x #ChangeFashion Directory, the first directory focusing on increasing opportunities for Black professionals in the fashion industry. This project is the first resource to be released from #ChangeFashion to help organizations execute the goals laid out in the #ChangeFashion Roadmap. The Roadmap seeks to empower fashion industry allies to embark on the journey of systematically addressing inequity and the exclusion of Black talent.
The directory currently houses the profiles and resumes of over 300 Black professionals, featuring Black-identifying photographers, makeup artists, set designers, and more with a geographic reach that expands across the world. Brands want to make a commitment to racial justice, equity, and inclusion and our Roadmap provides a guide to do so. The directory allows brands to move beyond statements of solidarity to create an industry that fully embraces diversity and inclusion. Currently, the directory will only be available to brands that sign on to the #ChangeFashion Roadmap and have committed to working with Color Of Change to achieve racial equity within the fashion industry.
“Performative activism for racial equity needs to go out of style,” said Amity Paye, Senior Director of Communications at Color Of Change. “Black people and people of color continue to push the fashion industry forward both in the spotlight and behind-the-scenes — yet the legacy of the industry is one of racial exclusion. This directory is an invitation for the industry to easily hire Black talent and professionals after taking a pledge to commit to racial justice. Black people are not a trend to flaunt whenever it’s socially impressive. With this directory, we are calling on the industry to #ChangeFashion by moving from rhetoric to action, and by investing in Black talent and careers.”
“Too often, we hear from brands that they can’t find Black talent or that their rolodex of talent needs to be more inclusive, but they don’t know where to begin,” said Lindsay Peoples Wagner and Sandrine Charles, Co-founders at Black In Fashion Council. “We are incredibly passionate about eradicating this problem and being a resource for companies to use a more diverse roster of talent and know that resources like this will make a significant impact in the industry.”
“We cannot create meaningful change without analyzing and overhauling the systems that brought us here in the first place,” said Romola Ratnam, SVP of Social Impact at Endeavor. “With this directory, we are further democratizing industry access by providing brands a comprehensive resource to change their hiring practices and ensure there is diversity both in front of and behind the camera.”
Along with being a resource for any brand committed to addressing historical racism and systemic inequality, it also aims to help fashion organizations and companies truly change the status quo, break patterns and set new norms that empower, finance, and reward Black people in the industry. There are no excuses as to why there is not an increased presence of Black artists and talent in the fashion industry. This directory will help the industry include more Black people, putting them at the center of the work.
Learn more about the directory HERE.
Color Of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. We help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by over 7 million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and governments to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America.
#ChangeFashion is a vertical within the Color Of Change #ChangeIndustries initiative dedicated to eradicating racism in the fashion industry. In partnership with the Black In Fashion Council, IMG, and Joan Smalls, its goal is to rally companies and talent across the fashion industry to restore equity and advance racial justice by moving from rhetoric to action.
Black In Fashion Council is a group of editors, models, stylists, media executives, assistants, freelance creatives, and industry stakeholders aiming to build a new foundation for inclusivity in the fashion industry.
Endeavor is a global sports and entertainment company, home to the world’s most dynamic and engaging storytellers, brands, live events, and experiences. The company is composed of industry leaders including entertainment agency WME; sports, fashion, events, and media company IMG; and premier mixed martial arts organization UFC. The Endeavor network specializes in talent representation, sports operations & advisory, event & experiences management, media production & distribution, experiential marketing, and brand licensing.
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events, and media. The company manages some of the world’s greatest athletes and fashion icons, owns and operates hundreds of live events annually, and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in licensing, sports training, and league development. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global entertainment, sports, and content company.
