Written by Ivan Yaskey in Trends on the 2nd December 2022

Much of the fashion industry thrives on exclusivity. Years ago, that was having store-bought versus hand-sewn clothes. Later, that evolved into trends from the top mall stores. Since the 1990s, hard-to-find drops have fueled the resale market and its hyped-up prices. In between, certain body shapes become desirable, with off-the-rack clothing built to accent or require you to chase after this image. Yet, over the past couple of years, that exclusivity has come into question – both in terms of who it excludes and how, and the consumerism it fuels. In response, the term “inclusive brand” has gained some traction within how collections are designed and sized and how these aspects influence sustainability. Still, vagaries persist around what’s inclusive and how. To date, this term tends to encompass one or more of the following:

Size and Race 

Toward the end of the 2000s, as social media started picking up steam as a tool for consumers’ voices, the fashion industry got called out on how uniform Fashion Week collections and lookbooks were: Looking back at this period, the majority centered around white, thin, able-bodied, cisgender individuals with minimal variance, and the attainability of this ideal. The Body Positivity movement started gaining visibility in response, plus size offerings for men and women began to look trendier, and runway presentations incrementally started casting more people of color and, in select instances, “average,” plus-size, and older models. While these moves represented a notable step at the time, the journey toward inclusivity still has more ground to cover in this direction. Unfolding in the present is the next stage: Questioning what goes on behind the scenes, who has access to these supposedly more exclusive opportunities, and avoiding wording that “others” certain individuals. In the case of plus-size fashion, that concept comes with the baggage of shopping in a separate department or store, or having to make purchases online only. “Inclusive sizing,” as a phrase, helps to remove the dividing line between straight, plus, or, in the case of menswear, big and tall. Additionally, this push covers taking into account plus-size body variance, rather than extending the proportions of a straight-size garment.

Technology and try-before-you-buy seem to be the future here. 3-D body scanning via your smartphone – as opposed to entering your measurements and weight – is said to eliminate much of the guesswork for plus-size consumers. This information is then used to highlight, via avatar, how a garment could look on your body: Even for straight-size consumers, this feature helps break down the aspirational-ness of certain styles that leads to disappointment once you try them on at home. Beyond this, box services, like Stitch Fix, further reduce the buy-and-return process and keep garments in rotation longer. Then, especially with Millennials and Gen Z less likely to be swayed by marketing and slogans, plus with articles detailing racist, size-ist, classist, and lookist corporate environments in the fashion industry, runway presentations now appear like a deceptive sheen. Inclusivity in this context involves examining full company culture, including who’s managing a brand and how they support non-white, non-male, non-thin, and non-wealthy employees, to look beyond the appearance of diversity to equity and inclusivity in opportunity and decision-making. 

Disability 

The conversation around fashion frequently ignores disability, despite over 1 billion people across the globe identifying as disabled in some form. Inclusive fashion builds off the adaptive fashion movement, which, largely, has gone under the mainstream radar, save for efforts from Tommy Hilfiger and ASOS. Adaptive fashion, in a nutshell, considers broad-spectrum functionality, movement, fit, and comfort, from individuals using a wheelchair or colostomy bag to those experiencing muscle changes due to their disability. Aspects include adding magnetic closures and openings for tubes, variable sleeves, and how someone can dress themselves with few, if any, complications involving mobility and flexibility. Ultimately, adaptive fashion applies universal design principles to apparel. Realize that despite its lack of mainstream visibility, adaptable fashion isn’t a niche market. Rather, on a global level, sales are predicted to reach $400 billion by 2026. Unfortunately, adaptive fashion requires individuals to seek out brands considering these design principles, or to get garments specifically tailored – a time-consuming, costly process that involves searching for a niche skill set. Inclusive fashion attempts to eliminate these adjustments, instead considering all abilities, bodies, and mobility and flexibility levels in apparel design, and further highlights all abilities in runway and lookbook presentations.

Considering Sustainability 

While not exclusive to each other, inclusive fashion has become tangential to the conversations around making fashion more sustainable. Currently, aspects like purchasing garments that don’t fit well increase the number of returns, or sit in closets until they’re sent to a secondhand shop or, worse, placed in the trash, headed toward a landfill. Rather, considering more body types, including proportions and features, has potential to reduce this process, better accommodating plus size and disabled shoppers. Secondarily, customization surrounding clothing has potential to make individuals more invested in their wardrobes and stave off the wear-it-twice mentality of fast fashion. Should something fit well, it has potential to remain in rotation longer, and individuals are more likely to get it repaired if a seam comes undone. A longer lifespan – brought about through greater satisfaction with a garment – can help slow the rapid pace of disposability surrounding our wardrobes. 

Considering Gender and LGBTQ+ Consumers 

To some extent, the phrase “inclusive” seems interchangeable with “unisex,” at least for how we talk about fashion. Yet, sizing and proportions end up being the downfall of unisex brands – or why this blended, non-gendered approach has yet to take off, despite years of buzz. Rather, male proportions and sizing require female consumers to adapt – and feel othered in the process. Then, there’s the issue of design. Although an androgynous aesthetic has taken off – from Gucci’s combined Fashion Week presentations to emerging brand ORTTU’s breezy, club kid-inspired themes showing more skin to ASOS’s half-shirts-for-men offerings to Fenty Beauty’s more body- and gender- inclusive presentations – most unisex brands still center the male identity, often presenting baggier, more shapeless streetwear-leaning silhouettes that assume gender-neutral means sexlessly masculine. A newer inclusive brand, ORTTU strives for quality and beauty with its garments – these aren’t sweatshirts and joggers. Instead, through European jacquard and lace, the brand’s goal, according to designer Artem Orttu, is to create clothing that’s “a celebration of a person’s inner reality” and brings out each individual’s more imaginative, daydreamer side.

Along with some free-size, one-size-fits-all garments, ORTTU’s clothing is both about the feel and impression. “Firstly, we like to use fabric in unexpected ways—sheer for T-shirts and layered tops, jacquard panels, quilted faux leather for jackets, and so on,” explains Orttu. “And we like to create clothing that goes from hugging the body in a really sexy way to really loose, flowing, and sensual. “People always have a really strong reaction to our clothing. For many people, it’s as if they’re seeing themselves as they can be. I think, when all is said and done, that’s inclusivity: it’s when people really see themselves for the first time and embrace it. And when we see them too in the same way—when we see their inner beauty come out.” Especially with Gen Z consumers interested in more gender fluid fashion, an approach that speaks to all – across sex, gender, and sexual orientation – isn’t just novel but the future of clothing design and branding. 

"An inclusive brand is a company or organization that seeks to embrace diversity and be welcoming to people of all backgrounds and identities. This can include promoting diversity and inclusion in their advertising and marketing, offering a wide range of products and services that are designed to appeal to a diverse customer base, and taking steps to ensure that their workplace is inclusive and free from discrimination. An inclusive brand is one that recognizes and values the unique experiences and perspectives of all individuals, and strives to create a sense of belonging for everyone."

Size and Race, Disability, Considering Sustainability, Considering Gender and LGBTQ+ Consumers.