DECOLONIZING OUR ASPIRATIONS

CAN WE REFORM A BROKEN [FASHION] SYSTEM?

originally released 8 October 2020

We all participate in the fashion system, whether we'd like to think so or not (sidenote: recently re-watched The Devil Wears Prada and the blue sweater scene still works). This week, The New York Times hosted a panel on 'Subverting the System: What's Next for Fashion,' featuring designers like Abrima Erwiah and Sandy Liang in conversation with fashion critic Vanessa Friedman. One of the most interesting questions posed was, "Is it more effective to infiltrate from within, or to do your own thing from the outside?" In response, Erwiah answered that she thinks, in this particular moment, it might be more effective to be working on these issues from the inside, since the industry is seemingly more willing to listen. But as a person with some experience 'on the inside' of a major department store, I still question this...
 
Yesterday, a Business of Fashion article (paywalled, sorry!) explored the state of the industry's response to the Black Lives Matter movement. The 15% Pledge was discussed as a key metric of change - but only six retailers have signed on - and no landmark fashion retailers. Of those that have committed to change, two of the most relevant are Sephora and Rent the Runway. Both have implemented brand accelerator programs that will help grow and onboard new brands, recognizing that many of the obstacles for Black creators go back to financing and access to resources in earlier stages of the business. A venture capitalist quoted in the article explained, "the reason [most DTC brands] look great is they're founded by people who are insiders in the system - whether that system is their education, their training, or their access to capital, they're beneficiaries of being an insider. And when you're not, you're at a total disadvantage." And while these accelerator programs can help early entrepreneurs overcome some of the systemic hurdles they face, the decisions - of who is worthy, of which brands get chosen - are still being made by white gatekeepers. From my perspective, BIPOC are still relatively powerless in this schematic.  

While the steps that are being taken to address these issues within the system are certainly important, I personally don't believe that's where we're going to see real change. I think this will be in the hands of consumers (people like us) to make conscious choices about actively supporting those who exist outside the bounds of the conventional system.

Phlemuns

A unisex label, Phlemuns emphasizes accessibility and community. Designer James Flemons contemplates ideas like fluidity, reconstruction, juxtaposition, and proportion play to create innovative and timeless pieces. Since founding his label in 2013, Flemons has been vocal about the problematic issues plaguing the fashion system, many of which have only been acknowledged recently.

Flemons has always been a step ahead of the industry, so it's unsurprising that he's not playing along with any of the new initiatives that have popped up recently. Instead, he is shifting away from Instagram to explore the potential of building a fashion community on...OnlyFans!?  It's an unexpectedly perfect platform for the brand, which is rooted in explorations of sexuality and gender nonconformity. It's also aligned with the cultural movement away for people-as-product, advertising-based social media, and towards paid-entry, connections-driven community platforms (but that's a whole other newsletter). Anyway, I'm excited to see where this all goes - check out some of the early visuals here.

🍋🍋🍋  In the meantime, you can support Flemons' vision by buying this cute little lemons logo print face mask that will surely bring some brightness to the dreary days we'll soon be facing. Phlemuns...lemons...are you not giggling? A little pun never hurt anybody, and there's a matching t-shirt as well! But if you're not into it, the clouds print mask is lovely, too.

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