Building a Space: How the Everyday Person has Taken Part in Fashion and Beauty
- EnVi
- Nov 15, 2020
- 9 min read
Updated: Nov 19, 2020
In June of this year, Anna Wintour sent an internal email to her Vogue staff apologizing for Vogue’s shortcomings towards Black creatives within the company. She commented on how the publication had not been able to find “enough ways to elevate and give space to Black editors, writers, photographers, designers, and other creators” as revealed by Page Six. In response, Black creatives across all platforms decided to take part in the “Vogue Challenge”.
Black social media users and creatives all over the world created their own versions of a Vogue cover, where they displayed ornate traditional outfits, elevated style, bold makeup looks, and a new vision for what Vogue could be. Many of the images went viral, setting the stage.
Social media users like Kyrese (@kyreseest on TikTok) demanded better from the industry. As someone known for their fashion and comedy, he discussed to EnVi the importance of Black people having spaces of their own. He was not the only person to feel this sentiment and as the June day passed by, a conversation had started.
When Black people aren’t given a seat at the table, they are able to build an entire house that is innovative and trendsetting. In building a community and space apart from big brands and fashion publications, creatives show that they are worth just as much—and more—as the big players in the fashion and beauty industry. They’ve also allowed for fashion and beauty to be accessible to every person.
With the domination of influencers, commentary channels, and young, Black brand owners, there’s been a shift in the ways people consume and participate in the fashion and beauty sphere. For too long, the industry has ignored Black people’s voices who are looking for representation to see themselves and have yet to measure up. Barring Black people from fashion and makeup, Black creatives found their own ways to get by. It was not long ago when most beauty brands' darkest shades went to beige.
YouTubers like Nyma Tang discussed the issues with finding shades for dark-skinned, Black women. In the series “The Darkest Shade” she brought attention to the exclusion and lack of representation in the beauty industry. In 2017 with the launch of Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, there was for the first time, a major scale-inclusive foundation launch of 40 shades. While Rihanna was already known by the general public due to her celebrity status, it was Black creatives across the internet who boosted the launch and demanded brands to do better with inclusivity. Nyma Tang was part of the many who took part in looking at the brand and letting Black people know that they have a space in makeup.
For there to be progress it is important to build up and organize spaces to be great.
With access to phones, thrifted clothes, and makeup, the possibilities are endless. A plethora of users are able to create visual experiences for their followers to see and shift the ideas of what we see as fashion and beauty In relation to gender and expression. Creators like Khai (@Blackbirdkhai) who is a nonbinary black MUA, have used their platform to shift the ideas of gender and makeup. Now more than ever, we are seeing everyday people create vivid images using makeup and fashion. In being themselves and challenging the beauty standards set in society, we are seeing a revolution of what fashion and beauty should look like. Khai, in a discussion with EnVi expressed they are, “ So happy that I am seeing more people being out and being proud being nonbinary…gender fluidity does not always mean androgynous and recently I’ve been seeing more people being open to gender that isn’t necessarily fit into those categories”. For years, trans people have been left out of the conversation of beauty and fashion despite being some of the many influences that brands and designers draw from when creating pieces. With the growth of social media platforms, creators like Khai are showing that they too are able to be champions of change and progress in the fashion and beauty space.
Kieraplease (@KieraPlease), a popular cosplayer, musician, and influencer within the Black community spoke with EnVi on her experiences with fashion and social media. Using social media, she has been able to explore different styles of fashion from alternative, to preppy, and down to streetwear. Not only has she dabbled in fashion, but also has an extensive portfolio of cosplays and makeup looks. When asked what she thought about the proliferation of Black creatives on social media, she said, “I think the future is creating your own spaces, and it doesn’t necessarily mean divulging from high fashion spaces, but it could mean making your own high fashion spaces. But I think the future is definitely owning and creating it for the people so there is no gate-keeping.”
There are avenues of fashion, beauty, and make-up that could be the next biggest moment in fashion. Every day we see a Black social media user create a trend, bend the way in which we view fashion, or bring a new conversation to the table on how we can build and create. EnVi also spoke with Mimi (@Mimithenerd), a famously known Black cosplayer. Through cosplay, make-up, and fashion, she has used her platform to create a space for aspiring Black cosplayers and fashion/makeup enthusiasts. Every day, the communities built on social media are inspiring people to partake in new avenues despite them not adhering to the politics of what is “ugly” or “unacceptable”.
Clothing and make-up have always been ways in which people are able to express themselves. People are always dressing up and showcasing their own styles, and it’s just one of many ways we continue to see diversity in style. A great thing about dressing up is that anyone can partake in it. A familiar social media user Kia, famously known as the creator of the “Kick It” challenge, discussed her own take on fashion describing it to be a true art form.
She expressed, “It can be anything you want it to be. Fashion makes a statement without using words and that’s one of the main reasons why I love it. As a quiet child, it’s the main way I tell people who I am”. Other users like Aaliya (@markleesmama) explained that because of social media she’s “met so many like-minded people on social media so I feel confident and comfortable being myself most of the time. I don’t feel like I’m the only person that thinks a certain way or the only person that does a certain thing.”
People are now finding a community in ways that they would have never been able to before. Social media—in ways not done before—has allowed people to connect with one another across the world. Many communities on social media consist of people who do not fit the beauty standards set by traditional media. Black people have been able to come together and create a new vision for themselves. People are able to see those who look like them, dress like them, and enjoy the same hobbies as them all in one space.
Black people have been instrumental in the fashion scene because of their rich culture and innovative style. Though many fashion and beauty brands have excluded many Black folks for not fitting beauty standards today, Black people are creating better and bigger avenues for themselves that do not revolve around being accepted by others.
Thumbnail: Winwin by @bituinan
Die bou van ‘n ruimte: Hoe die alledaagse persoon deelgeneem het aan die mode en skoonheid.
By Ellie | @nctbussy
Translated by: @vanneelelannece
In Junie vanjaar het Anna Wintour ‘n interne e-pos aan haar Vogue-personeel gestuur om verskoning te vra vir Vogue se tekortkominge teenoor swart kreatiewe mense binne die maatskappy. Sy het gesê hoe die publikasie nie “genoeg maniere kon vind om swart redakteurs, skrywers, fotograwe, ontwerpers en ander skeppers” te verhef en ruimte te gee aan swart redakteurs, skrywers, fotograwe, ontwerpers en ander skeppers nie, soos geopenbaar deur Bladsy Ses. In reaksie hierop het swart kreatiewe op alle platforms besluit om aan die “Vogue Challenge” deel te neem
Swart sosiale media gebruikers en kreatiewe regoor die wêreld het hul eie weergawes van ‘n Vogue dekking, waar hulle vertoon versier tradisionele uitrustings, verhoogde styl, vet make-up lyk, en ‘n nuwe visie vir wat Vogue kan wees. Baie van die beelde het virale, die opstel van die stadium
Sosialemediagebruikers soos Kyrese (@kyreseest op TikTok) het beter van d
ie bedryf geëis. Soos iemand bekend is vir hul mode en komedie, het hy met EnVi die belangrikheid van Swart mense met ruimtes van hul eie bespreek. Hy was nie die enigste persoon om hierdie sentiment te voel nie en soos die Junie-dag verbygegaan het, het ‘n gesprek begin
Wanneer Swart mense nie ‘n sitplek by die tafel kry nie, kan hulle ‘n hele huis bou wat innoverend en tendens is. In die bou van ‘n gemeenskap en ruimte afgesien van groot handelsmerke en mode publikasies, kreatiewe toon dat hulle net soveel werd-en meer-as die groot spelers in die mode en skoonheid bedryf. Hulle het ook toegelaat dat mode en skoonheid toeganklik vir elke persoon wees
Met die oorheersing van beïnvloeders, kommentaar kanale, en jong, Swart handelsmerk eienaars, daar is ‘n verskuiwing in die maniere waarop mense verbruik en deel te neem in die mode en skoonheid sfeer. Vir te lank het die bedryf Swart mense se stemme geïgnoreer wat op soek is na verteenwoordiging om hulself te sien en moet nog meet. Barring Black mense van mode en make-up, Swart kreatiewe gevind hul eie maniere om te kry deur. Dit was nie lank gelede nie, toe die meeste skoonheidshandelsmerke donkerste skakerings net tot beige gaan.
YouTubers soos Nyma Tang het die kwessies bespreek met die vind van skakerings vir dunker vel, Swart vrou. In die reeks “The Darkest Shade” het sy aandag gebring aan die uitsluiting en ‘n gebrek aan verteenwoordiging in die skoonheidsbedryf. In 2017 met die bekendstelling van Rihanna se Fenty Beauty, was daar vir die eerste keer ‘n grootskaalse-inklusiewe fondament bekendstelling van 40 skakerings. Terwyl Rihanna reeds deur die algemene publiek bekend was weens haar bekende status, was dit Swart kreatiewe regoor die internet wat die bekendstelling ‘n hupstoot gegee het en handelsmerke geëis het om beter met inklusiwiteit te doen. Nyma Tang was deel van die baie wat deelgeneem het aan die handelsmerk en laat Swart mense weet dat hulle ‘n ruimte in grimering het.
Vir daar vordering te wees is dit belangrik om op te bou en ruimtes te organiseer om groot te wees. Met toegang tot fone, gedy klere, en make-up, die moontlikhede is eindeloos. ‘N oorvloed van gebruikers in staat is om visuele ervarings te skep vir hul volgelinge om te sien en skuif die idees van wat ons sien as mode en skoonheid.Skeppers soos Denzel Dion en Rickey Thompson het hele handelsmerke geskep deur hul toewyding aan die uitdrukking van hul styl op sosiale media. Met YouTubers skep komiese inhoud op die beste en slegste geklee, mode kombinasies, en kyk boeke, hulle toelaat vir ‘n nuwe golf van kreatiewe beter vir hulself te bou.
Kieraplease (@KieraPlease), ‘n gewilde kosspeler, musikant en beïnvloeder in die Swart gemeenskap, het met EnVi gepraat oor haar ervarings met mode en sosiale media. Met behulp van sosiale media, sy in staat was om verskillende style van die mode van alternatief te verken, om preppy, en af na straatdrag. Nie net het sy in die mode, maar het ook ‘n uitgebreide portefeulje van kosspel en make-up lyk. Toe sy gevra is wat sy gedink het oor die verspreiding van Swart kreatiewe op sosiale media, het sy gesê, “Ek dink die toekoms skep jou eie ruimtes, en dit beteken nie noodwendig om van hoë moderuimtes te ontkei nie, maar dit kan beteken om jou eie hoë moderuimtes te maak. Maar ek dink die toekoms is beslis die besit en skep daarvan vir die mense, so daar is geen hek bewaring nie.
Daar is paaie van mode, skoonheid, en make-up wat die volgende grootste oomblik in die mode kan wees. Elke dag sien ons ‘n Swart sosiale media gebruiker skep ‘n tendens, buig die manier waarop ons mode sien, of bring ‘n nuwe gesprek na die tafel oor hoe ons kan bou en skep. EnVi het ook met Mimi (@Mimithenerd), ‘n bekende Black-kosspeler, gepraat. Deur cosplay, make-up, en mode, het sy haar platform gebruik om ‘n ruimte te skep vir aspirant Swart kosspelers en mode / gremering entoesiaste. Elke dag, die gemeenskappe gebou op sosiale media is inspirerende mense om deel te neem in nuwe paaie ten spyte daarvan dat hulle nie voldoen aan die politiek van wat “lelik” of “onaanvaarbaar".
Klere en grimering was nog altyd maniere waarop mense hulself kan uitdruk. Mense is altyd aantrek en vertoon hul eie style, en dit is net een van vele maniere waarop ons voortgaan om diversiteit in styl te sien. ‘N groot ding oor aantrek is dat iemand kan deelneem in dit. ‘N bekende sosiale media gebruiker Kia, bekend as die skepper van die “Kick It” uitdaging, bespreek haar eie neem op mode beskryf dit ‘n ware kuns vorm te wees.
Sy het uitgespreek, “Dit kan enigiets wees wat jy wil hê dit moet wees. Mode maak ‘n verklaring sonder die gebruik van woorde en dit is een van die vernaamste redes waarom ek is mal daaroor. As ‘n stil kind, dit is die belangrikste manier waarop ek vir mense vertel wie ek is”. Ander gebruikers soos Aaliya (@markleesmama) het verduidelik dat as gevolg van sosiale media sy “so baie eensdenkende mense op sosiale media ontmoet het, so ek voel vol vertroue en gemaklik om myself die meeste van die tyd te wees. Ek voel nie of ek die enigste persoon is wat op ‘n sekere manier dink of die enigste persoon wat ‘n sekere ding doen nie".
Mense vind nou gemeenskap op maniere wat hulle nooit voorheen sou kon gewees het nie. Sosiale media – op maniere wat nie voorheen gedoen is nie – het toegelaat dat mense met mekaar regoor die wêreld verbind. Baie gemeenskappe op sosiale media bestaan uit mense wat nie skoonheidstandaarde pas wat deur tradisionele media gestel word nie. Swart mense was in staat om bymekaar te kom en skep ‘n nuwe visie vir hulself. Mense is in staat om diegene wat lyk soos hulle sien, aantrek soos hulle, en geniet dieselfde stokperdjies as hulle almal in een ruimte.
Swart mense is instrumenteel in die modetoneel as gevolg van hul ryk kultuur en innoverende styl. Alhoewel baie mode- en skoonheidshandelsmerke baie Swart mense uitgesluit het om nie vandag skoonheidstandaarde te pas nie, skep Swart mense beter en groter paaie vir hulself wat nie ronddraai om deur ander aanvaar te word nie.
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