“We need to hold people accountable for racist behavior, and the first step is to call it out when you see it.”
The World’s Leading Asian Fashion Figures on the Importance of Standing Up Against Anti-Asian Racism
The horrific shootings of eight people—including six Asian women—at three spas in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 16 sent shockwaves around the world. The tragedy occurred as reports of anti-Asian hate crimes have skyrocketed in the west during the pandemic, leading to the hashtag #StopAsianHate being shared on social media in solidarity with the Asian community.
Among those speaking out are prominent figures in fashion, highlighting just how prevalent anti-Asian racism is—both inside and outside of the industry. At a time when fashion is still facing a reckoning when it comes to diversity and inclusivity, it’s all the more important that Asian voices are heard.
Here, 11 fashion designers and models, including Phillip Lim, Anna Sui, and Jason Wu, explain why it’s so important that we stand up against anti-Asian racism, and the steps we need to take to create a truly inclusive fashion industry.
Phillip Lim, designer
“The first step for our industry is to understand that we are not in competition with each other. It’s not about one community being a focus for a moment while another group waits in the shadows for their time. Inclusivity is making room for each other at the table, always. We can no longer separate who we are from what we do and we shouldn’t have to. That time is over and the time now is to live our truth, celebrate it and bring the best of who we are to our work and to our community.”
Anna Sui, designer
“What’s happening is not only tragic and horrible, but it brings back all the painful memories of the fear of the ‘yellow peril;’ the US’s Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and the Japanese internment camps (where Japanese people in the US were forced into prison camps during the Second World War). We need to increase awareness of this problem, learn tolerance and practice acceptance of one another. It would be wonderful if what came out of this is support for all the talented, young Asian students graduating from the design schools and designers emerging with their own collections.”
This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Alex Kessler,Emily Chan
