The fashion industry and societal rules have always had an influence on what people wear. Wearing trousers is just one example of a male-only garment that females first started wearing after the war. Today women can wear trousers every day without being seen as masculine.
It’s still hard for many people to accept males wearing skirts or dresses despite the fact that many men in non-western cultures wear dress-like garments. Pink is still a fairly uncommon color in many men’s wardrobes.
Jaden Smith and Harry Styles are breaking gender stereotypes and reinforcing the idea that fashion is not strictly male or female. According to Vogue, the fashion industry is shifting towards gender fluidity.
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Males still rule the fashion industry
Male fashion designers abound, and females in the industry are the models that wear the clothes they design. Of course, there are exceptions, but men often receive praise and awards.
There’s the perception that women designers tend to appeal to everyday consumers, whereas male designers are more edgy and independent. A McKinsey report found that only 14% of the top fashion brands have a female executive.
This is despite top fashion education programs having mostly women graduates.
The rise of technology in fashion
With the rise of technology in fashion, it is interesting to note that female presence in the STEM fields of study is slowly growing. For decades the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) didn’t have a strong female presence.
There is an opportunity here for women to increase their presence in leadership roles in fashion through their education in STEM subjects.
Women in the workplace essay examples
Students getting a college education and doing studies involving gender in the workplace can benefit from reading articles and essays.
The women in the workplace essay samples on WritingBros. They can learn a great deal from these essay examples about how to structure an essay, develop suitable headings, and much more.
Essays on the site cover many different essay topics, and there are professional writers that will help students with writing essays so they have more time for studying.
Social impact is making a difference.
Today consumers want to know more about the clothes they wear. Issues such as ethical labor, responsible supply chains, and sustainability matter to them. Fashion brands can no longer ignore gender when it comes to employment, clothes sizes, design choices, advertisements etc.
Recruiters still employ men over women for management positions. Trans people find clothes that don’t fit them properly. Stereotypes of femininity are often still expressed in advertising.
The pace of change toward gender equality in fashion is slow but social impact is starting to take effect.
“Ungendered” clothing isn’t the answer
Fashion brand Zara came up with a clothing line suitable for men and women. The line wasn’t too masculine or too feminine. They received negative publicity for calling it “ungendered’ clothing.
It consisted mainly of plain jeans, sweatshirts, and clothing everybody already wears.
Retailers use gender marketing
There are still many ways retailers use gender marketing, such as describing women as pretty and men as adventurous. For years they have tried to side-step the fact that they use stereotypes in gender marketing.
It was only in 2017 that John Lewis changed from using a label in blue for boys and a label in pink for girls. Now consumers are making their voices heard.
There’s an unrelenting pressure for people to look a certain way, and they are rebelling against this. Women don’t want to be told what size they should be but want brands to cater to every body type.
A gender bias in recruitment
There is a gap between women who have an education in fashion and those considered for C-Suite positions. HR managers freely admit that they prioritize male candidates over female candidates when interviewing for managerial positions.
They also prioritize unmarried women over married women with children and older women who are equally qualified. Fashion students at college and having a baby should persist with their studies but must be aware of the hurdles of pursuing a career in fashion.
Conclusion
The best way to deal with gender bias in the fashion industry is to start talking about it. Education will play a part in helping to identify and explore the issues. When people start to understand more, they are likely to be more accepting of an equal future for men and women in the fashion industry.
