It truly fascinates me that we still have some brands that don’t believe in inclusive runways. It’s not always that they necessarily SAY it out loud, or even that they objectively never use models of color. However, I think we can all tell when a brand is doing something JUST to ensure they don’t get dragged.
Well, as I already said in a previous post, I naturally feel like London fashion week has more to offer us in terms of looks and style serves than much of what we were going to get in New York. AGAIN, no shade, just a bit of tea for the girls.
Anywho, one designer who I needed to dedicate a special thank you to was Michael Halpern of Halpern. The namesake brand is not new to the fashion scene, but this may be one of the first collections the designer has shown in Britain (don’t quote me). I loved the entirety of the collection — the ’70s glam, the larger-than-life floral appliques, the bold colorways, everything. However, what stood out the most to me was that he sent down the runway 34 looks, and 29 of them had models of color wearing them.
Let me be clear: I do not believe it is necessary to praise and pat on the back every non-POC every time they hit the nail on the head when it comes to inclusivity. Truly it’s not “commendable” when people recognize the layers of white privilege. However, I can take a moment to appreciate a designer who is intentional with their audience makeup (Halpern currently sells a variety of clothing in the U.S. and the Middle East) as well as the global makeup and who that entails.
Halpern is expensive, yes. But I am more inclined to support them than a brand that every season I never see a single Black woman on the runway. I am then no longer their client demographic. In Halpern’s case, it proves that it literally pays to be inclusive: Models of color don’t distract from the ambiance that you’re attempting to sell through the clothes and that there is power in seeing a diverse group of people walking the runway.
Does the brand have a ways to go for inclusiveness? Yes. But has the brand already shown in three years it is lightyears ahead from many of its counterparts? Absolutely.
