Asian Fashion Show Chicago
Vera Wang recently celebrated her 73rd birthday in style, and the event was publicized on the news and online. Wang was photographed in a cute pink ensemble wearing a tiara and pink hair and looking deceptively younger than her 73 years.
Wang is a legendary fashion designer who started her fashion career as an editor at Vogue at 17. However, Wang did not launch her own fashion house until 1989, when she was already 40.
I don't intend to speak for Wang or make excuses for her - she is a legend in the industry. But I have to struggle to name a few other Asian fashion designers of her stature.
No one gave Wang her success. She earned it. But the point is, why did it take so long for her to succeed in the fashion industry in the 1990s?
Additionally, why can I only think of her name when thinking about representation in fashion in the 1990s?
I love Vera Wang, her talent, and how much she has inspired Asian representation in the fashion industry. But in this industry, representation means the tolerance of one or two faces on the caliber of Wang and not much more.
Why is that?
What does representation mean in the fashion industry in the 21st century?
Are you ready for a fashion change? Overhaul your wardrobe or contract customized fashions for your business endeavor with Pərsuasion now. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Related: Pərsuasion - Meet Your CEO
At The Asian Fashion Show Chicago on August 27, 2022. Pərsuasion premiered new designs and couture for men and women at the event.
Representation in Fashion
Representation is the unabashed courage and beauty of being unafraid to be yourself without fear of perception.
As an Asian immigrant, the overriding inspiration for me to launch my own fashion design agency was to achieve my dream. I knew I would be the CEO of my fashion agency when I was 17 years ago.
Nothing was going to stop me.
Additionally, representation in the fashion field mattered to me as well.
Stop for a moment and think of the names of five or ten fashion agencies or designers. Chances are more than good that you thought of the names of white American or European-owned fashion designers.
It's easy to say, "well, that is the norm." But why? And why is it "woke" or "forced diversity?" Or whatever complaints those against the fair racial representation of fashion designers and models say whenever the white-majority status quo is challenged.
What is wrong with representation in fashion? Why is "representation" one of the most threatening words in the fashion industry as we know it?
The New York Times recently contacted 64 of the largest and most popular fashion houses, designers, and magazines to survey them on the record about the diversity of their employees, designers, and models.
None of them answered the question thoroughly or transparently.
This is not about being anti-white or anti-American. The people who say those things are desperately trying to change the subject.
Why does representation in the United States of America mean that it is acceptable to merely tolerate the existence of one or two non-white faces in the fashion industry when it comes to mainstream recognition? (And the same can be said for most industries, not just fashion.)
Further, why does representation mean that any Asian who does break through the fashion industry's invisible ceiling has to work ten times harder than their industry-accepted peers?
I profoundly believe that fashion is a universal language that ‘vocalizes’ itself in the movements of the models and style of clothing. It interprets the reality the designer imbused in them.
Before I was the CEO of Pərsuasion, I was a 17-year-old who was voted "Best Dressed" in my yearbook. I had many dreams of becoming a fashion designer but it didn't happen overnight. Along with studying fashion, I got a degree in Technical Management with a concentration in Accounting.
In my youth I consulted with local designers. I haunted local retail and thrift stores to learn how the business works after the designs leave the drawing board and the models leave the stage.
I brainstormed how to achieve quality control standards in my fashion. Pərsuasion strives to transact in sustainable fashion and equitable wage practices.
We want to give back to the local community and engage in radical collaborations with upcoming talent.
The fashion industry needs fresh invigoration of talents and diversity of ideas, voices, and cultures for every generation - not just one racial or ethnic group.
It may be easy for me to talk about representation to people still dreaming about becoming a model or designer in an industry that fears representation. No one made my struggle easy or gave me what I wanted to become a fashion CEO. Just because I made it does not mean that it will be easier for the next Asian immigrant, Asian American or Pacific Islander to achieve their dreams.
It is not enough to talk about institutionalized racism in fashion, how unfair it is, or the pain of having one's fashion ‘voice’ muted or disregarded over fears of "representation."
Likeminded voices and talents have to help each other. We have to augment each other's voices and talents. We have to make connections, share ideas, and make the reverberation of our voices so loud that the fashion industry (and even the world) won't be allowed to disregard us any more.
The responsibility and the power of the word "representation" means that we have to represent ourselves with courage to the world, and not wait for others to acknowledge or empower us on their terms.
I am proud to announce that my fashion company, Pərsuasion, premiered exciting new designs and artisanal handcrafted garments at the 2022 Asian Fashion Show Chicago showcase.
Pərsuasion will be premiering new and provocative couture, custom clothing designs, and new fashion ideas for both men and women.
The Asian Fashion Show Chicago showcase was held at the Carter Chicago on August 27, 2022, between 7 PM and 9 PM.
The Asian Fashion Show Chicago is a local platform to augment the voices and promote the works of Asian designers and models in the industry.
Chicago is a steadily growing fashion hub that will get more national notice of our efforts if we unite our representative voices and let the nonverbal language of our talents and craft speak for themselves to the world.
The world fears the word "representation" because people left out of the status quo are now learning how to represent themselves.
What becomes of the status quo when representations of new faces and voices become the norm?
How amazing will the fashion world become when the next 17-year-old sees multiple people who look like themselves succeeding in the fashion world? It will be wonderful!
As much as I respect Vera Wang, I will certainly strive to be as successful as she is with a larger class of Asian fashion contemporaries.
Are you ready to represent? Contact Pərsuasion now for a free consultation on contracting our wardrobe consulting, clothing alterations, and custom fashion designs.
Related: Pərsuasion Fashion Services
