The Most Redeeming Fashion Moments of 2016
2016: A year that many people are regretting ever happened. Many are calling it the “worst year ever,” blaming it for a myriad of different events that have happened over the past twelve months, whether it be the unexpected departure of Great Britain from the European Union, the death of the beloved gorilla Harambe, or the sad and unfortunate passing of icons like Carrie Fisher, Prince and David Bowie.
While many are choosing to focus on the sad, unfortunate, and unexpected events of 2016, here at KRNL Fashion, we’d like to take a moment to remember all of the great things that happened in the fashion world during this past year. Like 2016, the fashion world is always riddled with controversy, from ethical sustainability in fast fashion to the low wages of garment workers. The fashion world, too, has problems.
Here is just a small list of the individuals, companies, and trends adopted by the fashion industry that have promoted social, economic, and ethical change in 2016.
1. Ashley Graham - Plus size supermodel Ashley Graham made waves this year when she was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. While plus size model, Robyn Lawley, graced the pages of the edition in 2015, Graham was the first plus-sized model to be featured on the cover itself. Since, Graham has been a champion for body positivity and inclusivity of the plus-sized woman in the fashion industry. She has modeled for countless campaigns (Lane Bryant, Forever 21), designed her own collection for Dress Barn, and has even hosted a TED talk titled “Plus-Size? More Like My Size.” Graham is a self-proclaimed “body activist” and encourages people to discard the term “plus-size” and recognize that “beauty is beyond size.” Graham is seemingly the role model we need right now. She promotes not only the acceptance of women who are deemed plus-size, but she also encourages self-love and beauty that is not constrained by size.
2. Christian Siriano - In 2016, Christian Siriano proved how diverse and inclusive of a designer he is. He partnered with Lane Bryant this past year, delivering an extremely coveted and successful plus-size capsule collection with popular “Orange is the New Black” actress Danielle Brooks modeling for the new campaign. Siriano was heralded when, during his Spring 2017 show in the fall, a number of different body types walked his runway, including a number of plus-size models. Probably most well-known of all, however, was when actress Leslie Jones took to Twitter to explain that she couldn’t find any designer who was willing to dress her for the “Ghostbusters” premiere. Christian Siriano quickly volunteered his services, and Jones ended up with a stunning red number on the carpet, evocative of the dress Julia Roberts wore in “Pretty Woman.” During a period of time in the United States where a majority of women fall into the “plus-size” category, we are in need of types of designers who are willing and enthusiastic to dress women of all sizes.
3. Barbie - For decades, Mattel has been criticized for making Barbie’s that promote an unrealistic body image for young girls. In 2016, the company introduced three new types of Barbies: tall, curvy, and petite. Along with the different sizes, these Barbies are offered in different skin tones and hairstyles. This change allowed for young girls to play with dolls that resembled them. Providing children with more diverse and inclusive toys is no doubt a step forward in increasing positive body image in generations to come.
4. #seethe67 - Popular fashion website and news source, Refinery29, launched a campaign this past year to raise awareness of what they are referring to as the “invisible majority.” 67% of American women are now considered “plus-size,” which is a size 14 or larger. The goal of the campaign is to take the 67% out of the shadows and properly represent them in the mainstream media. They hope to normalize “plus-sizes” in the media and enact real change within the industry. Refinery29’s campaign has garnered much praise, and it is hard not to admire a media source that is willing to speak so candidly on the issues facing “plus-sized” individuals, such as reported lower earnings and discrimination.
5. The New Nudes - Finding the right shade of nude clothing or makeup has long been a challenge for many women everywhere, particularly for women of color. For a long time, “nude” has only applied to a few skin tones. This past year, however, many different clothing brands, cosmetic companies, and shoe designers have introduced a more diverse collection of nude options. Most notably, Christian Louboutin announced last April that they would be expanding their nude shoe collection. Before, the collection had only consisted of a few shades of light beiges. Now, the collection includes seven shades, ranging from “porcelain” to “dark chocolate.” Whether it be foundation or hosiery, many more women can now find the exact shade that works for them.
6. Anniesa Hasibuan - A newcomer to New York Fashion Week, Anniesa Hasibuan became the first designer to present a show at NYFW that included a hijab in every one of the looks. Hasibuan is a Muslim designer from Indonesia, and her collection was inspired by her hometown of Jakarta. In a time where religious and cultural dress can cause controversy, Hasibuan’s collection was received warmly. Her show received a standing ovation at its conclusion, an extremely rare occurrence in the fashion world. This show was encouraging to many, who believe that this collection and others like it might be a step in the right direction to normalize the hijab in the United States and promote understanding of those who wear it.
7. Fashion Embraces Feminism - Feminism is not a new movement by any means. However, in 2016, the cause was given a major spotlight in a number of different arenas, fashion being one of them. The pantsuit underwent a revolution during the 2016 Presidential election. Much attention was paid to Hillary Clinton’s apparel during the presidential debates and her campaign trail stops. She wore a number of different pantsuits that took on many different meanings. Most notably was her pantsuit from the final debate: all white. Undoubtedly, the pantsuit was a reference to the suffragettes, who wore white to represent their struggle to gain the right to vote. It even inspired a popular Facebook page called “Pantsuit Nation” that encouraged women to wear white on election day to show support for Clinton’s campaign and the women’s movement in general.
Within the ranks of the large fashion houses, Dior made history by appointing the first female creative director in its history. In her debut show for Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri sent models down the runway wearing shirts emblazoned with the words, “We should all be feminists,” quoting the popular essay by feminist author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
8. Armani - Giorgio Armani announced last year that his brands, Giorgio Armani, Armani Privé and Emporio Armani, would be going fur free starting with his Fall 2016 collection. With increasing pressures from animal rights groups and consumers alike, it is no wonder why Armani chose to ditch real fur for faux fur. Time will only tell if other brands will follow suit.
9. Patagonia - Companies pledging to donate a proceed of their sales to certain charities during the holiday season is not uncommon these days. Patagonia, however, garnered praise this past year when they pledged to donate ALL of their sales from Black Friday to local environmental groups. In all, they donated over $10 million.
There are countless other individuals, brands, and movements that made a positive impact in the fashion world during 2016. The fashion industry is one that is set in its way, and like others, can be resistant to change. It is not perfect by any means. There are still many challenges that the fashion world faces, such as the low representation of people of color in the fashion media and the runways, human rights issues for laborers, and the detrimental impact that fast fashion is having on the environment. No doubt, there is still a lot of work to be done.
However, 2016 showed moments of hope and introduced movements that could help spark positive change within the industry. We, as consumers of fashion, should continue to support movers and shakers like the people and brands listed above. Only through the improvement of standards within the industry and continued dialogue that supports diversity and inclusion can the fashion industry continue to be bigger than just what we wear.
