Transforming Space
Rethinking the possibilities of a new luxury fashion industry
Hello everyone! I know I’m a little bit late this week as it’s technically Monday, but … life was lifeing this weekend and ultimately, better late than never. Please read, enjoy, and, as always, let me know your thoughts.
During my PhD research last year, I dedicated a significant amount of time to recruiting and interviewing Black women who work behind the scenes in the fashion industry. My goal was to gain insight into how these women navigate working in fashion, traditionally an exclusively white space, as visible minorities. I recorded over 40 hours of interviews with various Black women who graciously took time out of their busy schedules to chat with me. While the results of my research were largely unsurprising, I marvelled at their perseverance through a challenging industry, feeling pangs of sadness as they recounted moments of feeling like they didn’t belong and cheering alongside them in joy when they reclaimed their power from terrible colleagues, bosses or companies that had unsuccessfully tried to dim their light.
As I analyse the interviews and write my 80,000-word thesis, I’ve been considering the concept of space — fashion spaces, more precisely — and questioning who has access to these spaces and how they utilise them. Historically, the fashion industry was exclusive to the white elite, and while progress has been made, it may not be evident when examining those working behind the scenes.
Do you remember the infamous all-white British Vogue staff photograph taken before Edward Enninful’s appointment as editor-in-chief in 2017?
Or, more recently, the team behind Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton Menswear debut?
Individuals like my research participants, or myself for that matter, who enter the fashion industry, are always the minority. However, what occurs when those who were once excluded are now included?
According to Nirmal Puwar’s book, “Space Invaders: Race, Gender and Bodies Out of Place,” the spaces we inhabit are not “neutral”, and there is a deep-seated association between the individuals (the “bodies”) who occupy those spaces and the spaces themselves:
"While all can, in theory, enter [spaces], it is certain types of bodies that are tacitly designated as being the 'natural' occupants of specific positions. Some bodies are deemed as having the right to belong, while others are marked out as trespassers, who are, in accordance with how both spaces and bodies are imagined (politically, historically and conceptually), circumscribed as being 'out of place'. Not being the somatic norm, they are space invaders". (p. 8)
Even though we are included in the fashion industry as designers, stylists, editors, etc., we are simultaneously excluded as those spaces were not created with us in mind. That’s why I feel uneasy about the concept of taking up space. Ultimately, we are still expected to conform to the covert processes that inform these spaces, undermining why we’re there in the first place and having us at odds with how to align our creativity with what’s expected of the role.
As I develop SEMES, it is crucial that I establish a set of values from the beginning that aims to revolutionise the spaces we inhabit. I am convinced that transforming fashion spaces can be accomplished by reimagining and redefining the industry. To begin with, we should broaden the meaning of (luxury) fashion, contemplate its intended audience, and make it more accessible to a broader range of individuals. There is no justification for us to adhere to the outdated structure that characterises the traditional fashion industry.
This week in SEMES studio:
In the previous newsletter, I asked you to guess where the name SEMES came from. While nobody guessed correctly, I still want to share its origin. I was experimenting with different combinations of my first name, Susan, and my middle name, Emma. Of all the options, I returned to SEMES because of its simplicity and memorability. Upon searching on Google, I discovered that SEMES is a conjugation of the French verb “semer,” which means “to sow” or “to plant seed for growth.” This meaning was serendipitous as one of SEMES’ primary goals is to bring a positive change to the luxury fashion industry. Overall, I felt the name SEMES perfectly embodied the brand’s core values.
So now I want to hear from you! What does a reimagined luxury fashion industry look like to you? Please share your ideas by commenting below or replying via email. Let’s keep this conversation going.
Until next time, Susan xx
lovely read!
i think that the reimagined luxury fashion industry would look more inclusive and have many body types, races and different cultures inside of it. so many culture’s fashion embody luxury but because it’s not modern luxury they aren’t included.