CFDA Black Advisory Board
In the era of “Black Lives Matter,” “Black Models Matter” and “All Black Everything,” the fashion industry has been under the microscope for good reasons. Recently the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) announced the following.
CFDA Black Advisory Board
“Several strategic moves to expand the organization’s development of new programming to create opportunities for Black talent in Fashion. The CFDA has created a separate Black advisory board responsible for all CFDA efforts on inclusivity, diversity, and equality. The new structure lead by CaSandra Diggs who was recently named President of the CFDA reporting to the CFDA CEO Steven Kolb.” It then goes on to say the board will be made of Harper’s Bazar Editor and Chief, Netflix Chief Marketing Officer, the Fashion Tech Connects Co-Founder, the Co-founder of The Punctilious Mr. P’s Place Cards Company.
“In addition, Bonnie Morrison will be joining the CFDA in the newly created role to lead the strategy and execution of the CFDA equality program initiatives with the goal of building pathways of opportunity for Black creatives and professionals in fashion.”
A note from Tom Ford, Chairman on of the CFDA
“In June, we outlined specific initiatives with the goal of bringing an end to the racial injustice in the fashion industry. The organization has put in place a structure to execute this strategy and we are firmly committed to creating systematic change in our industry that will empower the critical voices that need to be heard.”
On the surface it looks great. A board committee with the sole purpose of engaging with the ever-growing issue of diversity in fashion. The real question is, how much power the board will have? With a condensed NYFW season due to the Covid-19 pandemic from September 13th to September 17th, it will be hard to gage how much change will be visible on the runways and behind the scenes. This will be something we in the fashion industry and fashion enthusiast will have to keep a close eye on in time being for the February 2021 season. Only time will tell.
