Jamie Gill: The fashion industry is still failing People of Colour
Despite a decade of diversifying the fashion industry to make it more representative of People of Colour, it has failed spectacularly. That is the claim by Jamie Gill, chair of the British Fashion Council’s diversity committee and CEO of the luxury fashion house Roksanda…
Gill, former architect, turned LGBTQ fashion leader and diversity campaigner says whilst the sector has made outward facing changes to embrace diversity in runway shows, models and ad campaigns, the real issue lies behind the scenes.
He cites a study by the British Fashion Council into diversity and inclusion in the industry which showed just 5% of the workforce in the sector come from a POC background. And it’s this which Gill, who grew up in Derbyshire as the son of a second-generation British Asian immigrant, wants to change.
“We know, the reasons underpinning this statistic, are twofold,” says Gill, 32. “Fashion is not seen as a viable career avenue by many ethnic minority communities due to several cultural and social mobility factors.
“The world of law, finance and in my case, consultancy, are seen as much ‘safer’ options for candidates who perhaps lack the personal and financial networks needed to enter a more seemingly ‘risky’ arena like fashion.
“What’s more when you look behind the curtain at how the industry operates, there is a severe lack of ethnic representation working on the less creative but no less essential roles - the finance directors, the sales directors, and the operations managers…
“…aside from the macro fashion brands which most of us know, the reality is the fashion industry is made up of small to medium sized brands where there is no clear professional training ground for sourcing talent. I want to help change this.”
This passion for true equality behind the scenes as well as in the glitzier front of house, combined with his own unconventional pathway into fashion, is what drove Gill, to launch The Outsider’s Perspective, an incubator to mentor prospective candidates with the knowledge and tools needed to transition a career into sales, merchandising, operations, digital, HR, marketing & PR, legal and finance within the fashion industry.
He graduated from Nottingham University with a degree in architecture before leaving architecture behind when he joined Deloitte. Aged just 25 he quit London corporate life for Mumbai where he launched a luxury wedding dress design company. He returned to the UK in 2014 and joined Roksanda, four years later he became CEO.
His journey into the fashion industry was far from linear, but his experience and understanding of the industry from the inside and its barriers to PoC is what makes his insight invaluable and his mission so vital.
His new not-for-profit platform, The Outsider’s Perspective, launched last month in partnership with Burberry, Deloitte, the British Fashion Council, the Mayor of London’s Office, Karla Otto and Zalando. It’sIts aim is to work with industry leaders and to partner with fashion businesses looking to address diversity talent gaps.
Gill hopes work by The Outsider’s Perspective will kickstart a positive change to the POC representation within the industry.
“There is enough evidence out there that supports the business case for diverse talent, but brands are struggling to find the team, The Outsider’s Perspective will offer a solution, and all in good time before it becomes Government policy,” says Gill.
Talented candidates wanting to transition into the fashion industry and established fashion businesses are encouraged to get in touch at theoutsidersperspective.org.