My Tipping Point. I remember, in 2018, when I was terrified to announce that Fe Noel would no longer fight to keep up with the traditional fashion calendar and that we’d be moving to a seasonless model with an 80 percent Resort focus. That we’d instead hone in on redefining our core values, improving quality, and delving deeper into our direct to consumer relations. Until this day, I’ve never publicly announced the switch and looking back; it was at that point that I decided, Game Over!
You see, I had to listen to my gut and evolve or dissolve. It had been talk for years that the business of fashion needed a makeover, a RESET. And this year, COVID-19 was a major implication of this. Fashion weeks as we knew them were changing for everyone large and small, but the added pressures of being a young female and black-owned brand (in a white and male dominated industry) with no large investors, major PR agencies or sales reps was already too much. The odds were stacked against me. It was nearly impossible to keep up financially, to play with the big dogs. Begging for attention to be seen and respected. So I surrendered, (or so I thought I did) to creating my own table. My mindset was F*ck the industry! Even still it was a constant battle. I found myself often saying to my team “We don’t need them.” So we set out to focus on really getting to know our customer, The Fe Noel Woman, growing our reach and finding ways to communicate our message. We mentally “disowned” the powers that be. Small but mighty, we did our own thing – setting our own rules. I stopped trying to keep up with the industry calendar. It wasn’t sustainable for my company to drop a collection each season six months ahead. Even investing an alarming amount of energy in outreach for wholesale accounts was exhausting. We decided to remove ourselves from this race and invested in our direct to consumer model.
Fast forward to June 2020, when asked by the CFDA to write an article on any topic directed to the fashion community, many things came to mind, but what stood out to me the most was the disconnect between “emerging” independent brands and support systems, the powerful impact that Black people have had on culture and who is reflected in corporate boardrooms. While we have been influencing style for centuries, minus a few tokens, we often still remain in the shadows. We are underpaid, overlooked, and we lack an equal part of the pie.
Now, in the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and among countless others over the years; the WORLD is experiencing a cultural reawakening. Along with a multitude of workforce sectors, the fashion industry is certainly not exempt and is (in the blink of an eye) experiencing a shift in the narrative of what it means to be a fashion designer while black and a victim of prevalent systematic racism. Fashion has always been responsive to world events and politics. It is also not new to hear about the lack of diversity and inclusion and to have it be temporarily silenced by momentary uprisings, outcries, panels and workshops. Soon after, things always return to the old way. This time however, I feel it in my soul— something feels different. This time, it’s not a trend!
I’m proposing that instead of shunning, we work together to ensure that we all survive and thrive. In Grenada, my family’s homeland, there is a saying: “Ever conscious of God we Aspire, Build and Advance as one people.”
The time is now for us to work together in solidarity. As an independent fashion designer – a small business owner, I am calling for collective action and substantive policy change within the fashion industry. I’d like to see more initiatives such as Aurora James’s 15 Percent Pledge, more true mentorship for brands with promise and more authenticity and human interaction.
We aren’t looking for handouts but for equality and respect. We can no longer be used as tokens or methods of inspiration on the backend and not receive accolades and acknowledgements when warranted. Game over, this is not a fad! We add value to this industry and our buying power counts.
Who’s with me and who’s up for the quest?
