Noun. Much of the modern-day fashion industry depends on the exploitation of workers to produce “fast-fashion” for moderately privileged consumers. Many “affordable” fashion brands, particularly those aimed at young people, underpay laborers and often operate sweatshops in “third-world” countries to produce relatively cheap items of clothing (and of course, such underpaid labor practices extend to the output of all types of products in modern capitalist society). When addressing the cultural appropriation that many designers perpetuate in “high fashion”, we also must not forget the reality of exploitation that underlies everyday clothing. Historically, the countries where laborers are often exploited by private (often foreign) companies have already been victims of colonization; The legacy of imperialism lives and breathes through modern perpetuations of indigenous exploitation. However, it wouldn’t be entirely fair to say that everyday consumers are responsible for ending the cycle of underpaid labor. The harsh reality is, sustainable, fairly produced items of clothing are too expensive for everyday individuals to stock their closets with. In modern society, too many people are exploited through the systems of late-stage capitalism to somehow “end” slave labor within their own nations, much less globally. In addressing the issue of exploitation in the arts, the conversation must be extended to a historical and political analysis of our current global economic system, which inevitably governs the livelihoods of workers and creators around the world.

Examples

“To counter fashion racism, we will need to confront fashion classism and, relatedly, neoliberal definitions of success—such as access to elite institutions and positions—as the best path to social progress. This requires a transnational, trans-hemispheric, transracial, and trans-class analysis of corporate racism that accounts for and is accountable to those at the bottom of the corporate ladder—workers in the CMT sectors. Without a broader view of fashion’s racism, corporate diversity initiatives make people of color in the Global North accomplices to the exploitation of people of color in and from the Global South.”

Pham, Min-ha T. “How to Fix the Fashion Industry’s Racism.” The New Republic. Accessed July 7, 2020. https://newrepublic.com/article/153596/fix-fashion-industrys-racism.