Great read! Regarding this question, I don’t believe these people are completely oblivious to racist or controversial fashion designs/choices. My belief is that people want to push the envelope and get publicity. Some operate on the idea that any exposure is good exposure. As you mentioned in your piece, time and time again fashion companies continue making racist or insensitive clothing choices and “fashionable” options.
Your thought to have people take classes on diversity and how to better cater to an audience is a wonderful idea. However, I can see things panning out in the same way as police officers and diversity training, in which their culture hardly ever changes. Might I suggest, in addition to required classes for those in the fashion industry, also drafting legislation making certain outfit choices a hate crime? Also, given the history of how Blacks specifically are treated within the fashion industry, it may be time for Black people to venture out and create their own lane as well as boycott fashion entities with a history of questionable practices.
J. Stokes
