The year 2020 was a turbulent one. From having to survive a deadly pandemic to the unfortunate deaths of many, to the election of a new American president, it is safe to say that there was never a dull moment. One of the most infamous moments of last year however was that of the Black Lives Matter protests of last year. The unfortunate deaths of George Floyd and many others caused a catalyst of sorts, with protests and riots shaking up all corners of the globe, with people fighting for black rights and against police brutality and the corrupt justice system. However, it is undeniable that these protests shook up not only society but also the fashion industry, with many brands making statements of solidarity in line with the protests.

On the 29th of May last year, Nike released a video twisting their brand slogan to saying, “For once, Don’t Do It”, with the video saying that racism in America should not be accepted or excused. By staying silent, one is complicit in the tragedies happening and that we should all stand up to fight these injustices. The brand also released a statement on the 5th of June, announcing a “$40 million commitment over the next four years to support the Black community in the U.S. on behalf of the NIKE, Jordan, and Converse brands collectively.” The donation focused on investing in and supporting organisations that prioritise social justice, education, and addressing racial inequality in America. John Donahoe, President, and CEO of Nike said that “The NIKE, Inc. family can always do more but will never stop striving to role model how a diverse company acts. We will continue our focus on being more representative of our consumers while doing our part in the communities we serve.”

This is not the first time Nike has stood up for these kinds of movements. In 2018, Nike’s made Colin Kaepernick the face of Nike’s Just Do It campaign. Kaepernick was a former NFL player who was one of the first players to kneel during the American national anthem in solidarity with the killings of other African Americans in 2016. Nike vice president, Gino Fisanotti told ESPN, “We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward.”

Although Nike have also had their fair share of racist experiences from within the company, with many employees, both former and current, anonymously sharing experiences with racism through an Instagram page during June of last year. A representative from the page(@blackatnike) wrote that “Despite the performative allyship that Nike shares publicly with the world, their Black employees (Current and former) are broken.” the page has since then been taken down.

Luxury brands also tried to jump on the bandwagon, making statements standing in solidarity with the looting and protests. Gucci posted a poem by writer Cleo Wade, about confronting racism and bigotry. They also posted a statement saying how they stand in solidarity with the Black community, fighting to “end systemic racism, bigotry, police violence, and oppression”.

However, their statement fell with mixed reviews from the public, due to them still trying to recover from their blackface scandal of early 2019 (where the brand tried to sell polo neck jumpers with cartoonish red lips, similarly resembling blackface). They also got called out in 2017 when it was thought that Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s creative director, was stealing looks from Dapper Dan, a Harlem designer known as the “King of Knock-offs”. New York Times even said that “With his jacket, Mr. Michele is effectively reappropriating the appropriation.”

Prada also released a statement on their Instagram account, saying how they are “outraged and saddened by the injustices facing the Black community” following the death of George Floyd. However, the public again was sceptical after the luxury label had to recall keychains from its stores after also being accused of mimicking blackface.

Although many brands tried to jump on the trend of advocating for the African American community in their time of turmoil, one cannot help but think of them being performative to try and move away from their controversies and racist past. Instead of trying to donate money to communities and organisations such as Nike, all they do is make a post on social media. This is not to say that Nike is a perfect example since they too have had their deal of controversies, but rather it is a way of saying that the Black Lives Matter movement (even though many brands have used their platforms and spoken up about it) is just evidence of the fact that, although it is getting progressively better, the fashion industry continues to fail the Black Community.

Bibliography

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