Behind the Seams: how can fashion brands incorporate model diversity without tokenism?

Though the industry has been trending towards diversity and inclusivity of late, fashion has a bad habit of taking these steps for superficial reasons. Every time a fashion brand steps away from slim white models towards literally anyone else, media coverage erupts with excitement and creates an excellent chunk of free advertising for the company. No doubt, moving away from the rigid templates we expect from fashion (both high and high street) is always a welcome and positive change, how can fashion brands incorporate diversity into their selection of models without descending into tokenism? And how can brands incorporate activism in a way that isn't simply about making money?

To briefly summarise: it's great when brands do nice things, but it sucks when they do these things for money rather than for the customer's experience or wellbeing and social change. 

The great example of how to incorporate these steps towards body positivity and social change without them coming off as a cheap money grab is Monki. The secret to their ability to incorporate these elements is consistency. The brand feature a number of women from various racial backgrounds and of varying size and shape - and they feature them consistently. By continuing to use the same diverse cast of models Monki supports these particular models as individuals, this particular type of modelling, and the customers who look like these models year round and in every campaign. As such, media coverage isn't generally generated about their model selections for campaigns - and so it doesn't directly generate any income from token inclusion. 

from monki.com

This makes a significant impact when it comes to their campaigns and their branding. Although, as previously stated, their diverse model casting rarely generates any media coverage it still has a significance amongst fashion writers interested in diversifying our understanding of what beauty and fashion is and who can wear what garment. Monki's swimwear campaign for 2017 features a broad range of women of varying sizes and shapes, cellulite and fat rolls included, wearing an array of swimwear (regardless of their shape - this isn't about selling a particular image of inclusive fashion) and looking like they're having a great time doing it. 

from monki.com

What's most refreshing about this campaign is that it isn't sexualised. Many swimwear campaigns photograph their models in sexual or enticing and impossible poses, as though they were intended for a male gaze, rather than a predominantly female audience. Rather, Monki have approached this in a more sensible and realistic way: there is not a singular function to swimwear, and similarly there isn't a singular way to look good in swimwear. Instead, the girls look comfortable, ready for a day with friends, and yet still stylish. This is how you make a customer feel excited to shop with you - by presenting their reality.

And that brings us to the company's Monkifesto, a women's rights campaign run to celebrate the brand's 10th birthday. The brand describe the campaign as follows:

'Starting in September 2016 and continuing all the way up throughout the autumn, our very first Monkifesto was our way of taking the discussion further than we ever have before. Because ten years after we opened our first store, the issues we saw back, well, most of them are still around. And as a company of mostly women, run by women, that makes fashion primarily for women (we like everyone else too) we are, to put it nicely, pretty pissed about that' - from the Monkifesto blog

The brand's commitment to activism takes a remarkably different stance from those of other brands (including those outwith the fashion industry). The Monkifesto is a list of 10 commitments that the company want to support and raise awareness of and range from the confidence and equality in the workplace, to periods and masturbation to diversity and LGBT issues. What's radically different here isn't just the topics (some of which have been remarkably controversial) but also the treatment of the overall campaign. The campaign features only a handful of garments that stick to the usual Monki price points. Of those garments, one of them is a pair of period pants, an alternative form of sanitary product for women, and a few statement slogan hoodies (not designed to be flattering, and so not undercutting the overall message). As such, the company doesn't hugely profit from the massive expense of creating the material for the campaign, and instead fosters an environment of positivity and possibility for the young women who stumble across it.

There's plenty more to be said about the activism Monki carries out. It's a quietly sustainable company that is aware of its impact on the environment and uses sustainable and environmentally friendly means to produce garments. The same models from the swimwear campaign have also been featured in an underwear campaign that channels the same mood and makes the same quiet statement. Many of their garments aren't designed for a traditionally appealing or body flattering effect, and rather encourage a different kind of style, body shape and approach to fashion.

  

'Representation is important because it goes beyond fashion. It goes beyond the industry. Our responsibility is bigger than the industry' (Ebonee Davis, for today.com)