ISSUE 19 : WHERE DID ALL THE DIVERSITY ACTIVATIONS GO?
meanwhile, we have an AAPI Heritage Month edit to share
Have you noticed the lack of fashion retail marketing around AAPI Heritage Month this year? I was briefly impressed / somewhat shocked to see Bergdorf Goodman share an Instagram post about celebrating AAPI designers…until I went to their website to find that their ‘edit’ showcased a grand total of 13 designers out of the 1,200+ brands that they cary. And of those 13 designers, only (2) are of South or Southeast Asian heritage. At the very least, they did highlight the edit on their online homepage - better than Saks, which boasted a feature on Vera Wang (lol) for their Instagram post, and then buried their edit somewhere in the hidden depths of their website. Bloomingdales shared 4 brands on social; Nordstrom didn’t post at all.
None of this is particularly surprising, considering there was a similar lack of celebration around Black History Month earlier this year. Business of Fashion’s Sheena Butler-Young actually published an article on the topic - ‘Why It Feels Like Fashion Forgot About Black History Month’. She noted that, when asked, some brands claimed they’ve moved away from marketing campaigns and are instead focused on charitable donations or events/experiences, and celebrating BIPOC year-round. Yet in reality, this doesn’t seem true: “Diversity advocates argue many companies are doing neither of these things and that their silence runs a piece with the broader diversity backslide that’s taken hold this year.” Alas, despite all the promises of 2020, not much has changed when it comes to the fashion industry - and it all goes back to the fallacy of expecting change to come from within existing systems. In silver linings - seeing this all play out so disappointingly is part of what inspired me to attempt rebooting this newsletter and create an AAPI-owned brands edit this month.
Below are a few highlights from the edit.
SCENT EXPLORATION
We’re in the midst of a major fragrance frenzy right now - there are so many new scents around. I think I may do a deeper dive into all of that at some point, because there’s some really interesting history when it comes to the perfume industry. I mean, ‘oriental’ as a scent profile…yeah. Most of the ‘notes’ that we seek in fragrances are derived from ingredients native to the Global South, and yet society idolizes European luxury perfumes as the epitome of taste. Which makes it all the more relevant to support brands that exist outside of that sphere. Phlur, founded by influencer Chriselle Lim, went viral during the pandemic for its fascinating take on scents that evoke a mood or feeling. I’m also intrigued by Soma Ayurvedic’s perfume oils, that take inspiration from the history of holistic healing practices.
GIRLHOOD REDEFINED
From #hotgirlwalks to #girlmath to #girldinner, the ‘girlhood trend’ overwhelmed the internet last year. In fashion, it’s translated into an overabundance of bows on everything in sight (see: Prada FW24), and other girlish details like ruffles and rhinestones. There’s been plenty of discourse around what all of this girl-ification could possibly mean…is it about empowering femininity or the end of feminism? Plenty of people have called for the end of it all. But, not a lot of people (that I’ve seen) have mentioned the fact that a lot of these ‘girly’ elements have always been a key part of many East Asian designer aesthetics, or explored any connections to the sometimes subversive elements of harajuku / kawaii culture in Japan. If you’re a fan of these sweet girlhood looks, perhaps consider investing in the gorgeous new bow bag by Sandy Liang, or go for one of the many affordable and adorable jewelry options from Bon Bon Whims.
SUSTAINABLE PIONEERS
Earth Month is over and…confession…I don’t exactly believe in sustainable fashion per se. It’s a bit of an oxymoron. In reality, sustainability is all about trade-offs, and there’s no right answer. For instance, cow leather vs. ‘vegan’ (plastic) leather - are you worried about microplastics in the ocean or do you care more about animal welfare? Personally, I just try to buy less, avoid fast fashion, and intentionally invest in supporting smaller creators - like Maaari, a Filipina-American & woman-owned brand. They recently launched a capsule collection made of traditional piña fabric, which is delicately woven from pineapple-derived fibers (!) - you can read more about the process here. In beauty, I’ve been a longtime fan of Dieux since its launch - I love everything that cofounder & cosmetic chemist Joyce de Lemos creates. But I still think their OG Forever Eye Masks are one of the most useful items I’ve ever purchased. You basically use whatever eye serum/cream you have on hand, place the silicone mask on top to enhance absorption, and rinse them off afterwards to reuse later. They literally can be used…forever…or at least, for a really, really long time.
Thanks for reading! Check out the complete AAPI Heritage Month Edit here.
