Inclusivity on the Runways of Fashion Week
Greater representation on the catwalks makes for greater shows.
The fashion industry is not a perfect one. Sure, it has its glamorous side, but it is also deeply flawed. Among the many issues with the fashion industry today (sustainable practices and cultural appropriation, to name a few), perhaps a problem just as pressing is the idea of the model.
Fashion is made for the body. Since the inception of runway shows in the early 20th century, models have been helping designers bring their creative visions to life. The moving, breathing bodies of models have served as the perfect vehicles to showcase some of the greatest fashion creations of our time. The models that made it to the top runways often reflected society’s perceived “ideal” beauty standards at the time. During the supermodel era of the '90s, it was clear that thin was in.
But more than 20 years on, with more and more talks of inclusion within the fashion industry, how has the landscape changed? Many advocates have stepped forward over the years, pushing for greater diversity in an industry originally made for the elite and exclusive. And it’s clear their efforts haven’t been for nought, because at Copenhagen Fashion Week earlier this August, there was definitely greater representation.
The models that owned the catwalks came from different cultural backgrounds, had varying body types and even differed in age. Let’s hope this marks the beginning of the end of fashion’s one-size or one-look-fits-all mentality.
Take a look at some of the stunning people we spotted in Denmark during Copenhagen Fashion Week who are redefining what it takes to be a model.
