Inspired by the beautiful diversity of the human body, a movement towards creating clothing that is inclusive of all shapes and sizes is gaining momentum in the fashion industry. As more people become aware of the negative effects of traditional sizing and models of fashion design, the doors are opening for creative new ways to reflect body diversity. This article will explore the importance of designing fashion inclusively, and how it can inspire a more positive culture of self-expression and acceptance.
1. A Reflection on the Fashion Industry’s Divide
The fashion industry has traditionally been a highly divided one. From designers to retailers, fabric cutters to pattern makers, everyone works in their own special bubble, rarely collaborating with those outside of their segment. As those inside the industry progress in their individual jobs, a disconnect is created between designers, retailers, and consumers, and that divide can have an appearance of a vast canyon.
The fashion industry is known to change almost as often as the weather, but while trends come and go, the hierarchy remains the same. From the multibillion-dollar fashion conglomerates down to independent labels, the ways of production in many ways remain almost unadulterated year after year. It’s as if a fog lies over the industry, increasing water levels on one side while extinguishing those on the other. So, where do we draw the line?
The divide manifests itself in many ways:
- Designers: Designers create clothing without having to worry about the retail aspect, marketing, or customer relations.
- Manufacturers: Behind the scenes, manufacturers focus on creating high-quality products and finding the best ways to develop them. They often have little say when it comes to design.
- Retailers: Retailers are the gray area between designers and manufacturers. They have to understand customer tastes in order to bring the right products to the market, while also dealing with manufacturers and designers.
- Consumers: The consumers are, in many ways, the least specialized segment of the industry. They are the driving force behind it, but often lack the necessary access to those in power.
While it’s essential to have specialization in an industry as vast as fashion, sometimes it’s necessary to remember that we’re all connected. Everyone has a place in the industry, and closing off any single person from the rest of the team can lead to a strong disconnect. It’s important to try to keep in mind the overall picture, and try to bridge the gap when possible.
2. Crafting a World of Inclusion in Clothing Design
The fashion industry of our times has been growing fast: TV shows that create design challenges, acclaimed brands, and runway shows. The shift has been towards designs that are super cool, sleek, and are aspirational. But we can’t forget that inclusivity should also be at the top of the list. Crafting a fashion world of inclusivity is about making sure no one is excluded from enjoying fashion.
Start with Size Options. Use a sizing chart that runs in a wide size range. This is especially important on online retailers that don’t give the physical option of trying out clothes before buying. By offering many sizes, you ensure that customers can find what fits them.
Embrace Diversity. Who’s modelling the clothing? Is it too limited in ethnicity, body shape, or age? Feature a wide cast to have clothing on display that caters to everyone and demonstrate that everyone is included in the fashion world.
Make It Accessible. People with disabilities should not be excluded. Think of clothes that could work for all and flow from season to season. Have adjustability:
* Insert Zippers
* Offer Magnetic Fastenings
* Include Adjustable Drawstrings
* Include Adaptive Apparel
This will help make the shopping experience better for everyone.
3. Exploring the Universality of Body Types
Being individuals, each of us may think our body type is unique, even though we often find ourselves comparing ourselves to other people. When we look at body types, however, we find that there’s often much more in common than what first meets the eye.
For starters, think about heights. Although some of us may be taller or shorter than the average, this variation tends to even out across the entire population. Similarly, we all have broad shoulders, strong arms and legs, and a well-defined torso. Even the proportions of our body parts are surprisingly similar.
- Faces: A few differences notwithstanding, a human face is just about the same everywhere you look.
- Ears: When it comes to human ears, there tends to be the same number of lobes and identifiable patterns.
- Hands: Whether we come from the same country or very different ones, our hands usually consist of five finger joints and a thumb.
In fact, examining body types from a global perspective, we find that most humans share the same fundamental components and structures. This offers a sense of universality and connectedness among us all, regardless of external physical features like skin color.
4. Ensuring Incorporation of All Sizes
With sizes for clothing and other products, it is essential to ensure that all sizes are taken into account when making a purchase. It can be difficult to guarantee that sizes from extra small to extra large, and all the ones in between, are catered for, but there are some ways to ensure that each size is incorporated.
- Taking measurements: By taking accurate measurements and dimensions, it is possible to produce sizes of different items in an exact manner. From this information, it should be possible to create a wide range of sizes that will fit more people than just one or two sizes.
- Using a size chart: A size chart is a useful tool for making sure that all sizes are catered for. It takes into account body measurements and uses standard measurements to create items of different sizes.
- Getting custom sizes: If there are items that no longer follow standard sizes, it is possible to get them custom made. This means that they can be tailored to fit a person’s individual body shape, making it much easier to incorporate all sizes.
These are just a few of the ways to ensure that all sizes are incorporated into purchases. By using these strategies, it is much easier to make sure that any item purchased will fit the customer that it is intended for.
It is also important to remember that sizes are not just limited to clothing. From furniture to jewellery, it is essential to ensure that all sizes are accounted for to make sure that any item fits perfectly.
5. Breaking Down Systemic Barriers in the Garment Industry
The garment industry is responsible for outfitting the world in fast fashion; however, many of the people producing the items are often left with little voice in the organization. Systemic barriers, such as a lack of representation in upper management and gender wage gaps, have long been present in the garment industry. These issues have been amplified in the wake of the pandemic, making it crucial that ethical practices are the priority when rebuilding the industry.
Supporting Representation
In order to dismantle the systemic barriers preventing workers from having a voice in the workplace, organizations must prioritize increasing diversity in upper management. Cultural change must start from the top and work its way down in order for the industry to be held to ethical standards. Additionally, hiring practices should emphasize minority representation and seek to upskill workers through experiential training.
Closing Wage Gaps
Although the majority of the garment industry consists of female labor, gender wage gaps are still present. To counter this, organizations must ensure livable wages and fair processes for collective bargaining. Furthermore, companies should prioritize gender-neutral hiring techniques and be aware of the socioeconomic situations of their potential employees. Steps should also be taken to create inclusive workspaces for employees from varying backgrounds.
- Supporting Representation
- Closing Wage Gaps
- Creating Inclusive Workspaces
By taking these steps, the garment industry will become more equitable for its workers. It is essential that ethical practices become the norm, and it is up to the industry to prioritize systemic change.
6. Embracing a New Standard of Body Positivity
We have created an unrealistic standard of beauty that many people (especially women) are unable to live up to. It’s time to start embracing body positivity, accepting ourselves for who we are, and encouraging others to do the same. Here are a few steps to get started:
- Understand your body and love it.
- Think positive thoughts about yourself and others.
- Focus on your strengths and unique qualities.
- Stop comparing yourself to others.
- Stop judging people based on their appearance.
Positive self talk is an important tool to embrace body positivity. We should be speaking to ourselves with compassion and kindness rather than putting ourselves down. The negativity directed at ourselves only serves to limit our potential and takes away from our ability to appreciate and accept ourselves. While it can be hard to stop negative thoughts, understand that it won’t happen overnight and it’s important to stick with it.
We all strive for perfection, but perfection can never truly be achieved. It’s important to learn to be content and accepting of ourselves. Celebrate the things we like about ourselves and accept the things we don’t. Be kind to yourself, because you are worth it.
The aim of this article is to open an honest dialogue surrounding inclusivity in the fashion industry, and the power designers have to foster body positivity. By creating fashion that celebrates all body shapes and sizes, designers can enact real change to put an end to sizeism and discrimination – a step that moves us closer to a world where everyone feels confident, empowered, and accepted.
