Style June 23, 2020
The world of fashion needs inclusivity at all levels
Image via Instagram/@shoptheclubENTITY Academy Mentee Rajah Maggay sat down with entrepreneur Londyn Douglas to speak on her entrepreneurial journey, how to style vintage pieces, and diversity in fashion.
As mentioned in a previous article, the importance of cultivating a great wardrobe is the styling of pieces.
As consumers, we are our own personal stylists. When we shop we try to idealize a way we want to look. An experience of mine that many women of color can relate to was the lack of diversity in fashion magazines. This makes it difficult to idealize a certain look for yourself when the ideals of beauty you looked at were all slim and fair-skinned.
The media’s perception of women of all ethnicities and cultures has affected the self-confidence of many young girls. Luckily the world has come a long way with regards to embracing diversity. From brands like Dove putting diverse campaigns at the forefront to Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty lines.
During the Spring 2019 Season, out of 229 shows and 7,432 models, 36.1 percent were models of color compared to 30.02 percent a year ago and 17 percent when the tally began. However, boardrooms are still lacking diversity. While the runways of Spring 2019 were the most diverse they had ever been, there was a jarring imbalance behind the curtain.
The power structure within the industry, from stylists to major decision-makers lacks diversity. This leads to situations where cultures are misrepresented. This is shown in the controversies of cultural appropriation in the fashion industry.
One such example was Dolce and Gabbana’s China Campaign. In their campaign, a Chinese model, Zuo Ye, was asked to eat pizza, spaghetti, and cannolis in promotional videos as a tribute to China. The insensitivity to Chinese culture, the assumption that Chinese people only use chopsticks, and stereotypical Chinese music in the background was disrespectful to Asian culture.
Luckily, we are now in a time where we can look at past decades for fashion inspiration AND have diverse individuals in the creative process. A perfect example of this is the founder of The Club, Londyn Douglas. The empowering boss of this company fuses vintage finds with accurate representation to craft “cool vintage for cool babes.”
I first encountered, The Club by Londyn Douglas while exploring the Melrose Trading Post. The cool shop design, attractive pieces, and vibe of the store instantly drew me in. Compared to traditional stores, The Club jumped out at me with its vibrancy and uniqueness.
Seeing the shop run by a diverse range of women and people of color who were all young in age made me adamant that I HAD to buy something to show support. While exploring the cool pieces I was drawn to a sequinned, white jacket that made me feel incredibly cool. When I saw the piece my mind instantly went to the thought, “It’s gonna make me look extra.” But I was quickly swayed by the workers there who were telling me that all I need was to feel confident in the piece. Nothing is ever too extra!
LD: In college, I studied business marketing and loved to help people with their looks. When it came to creating this company I wanted to create something that was true to my heart. It all started because there was a need for cooler vintage stores for women. I wanted to create something for girls wanting to find cool looks.
LD: My brand is described as “cool vintage for cool babes.” My company is specifically for modern women who scroll through Instagram and are tired of seeing the same looks. Instead, they want to be unique and stand out.
LD: My draw to vintage fashion began in high school. I was always asking my mom to bring me to thrift shops when I was younger. She was really confused as to why I was buying old clothes! But I never wanted to dress like everybody else. First off, the thrill is going into the store and finding a great piece. The quality of vintage clothes is so different from clothes nowadays. Vintage really lasts forever in comparison to fast fashion clothes that disintegrate after one wash. Every piece tells a story and I love vintage for the treasure hunt of it all.
LD: I hold diversity very close to me. Being Black and Japanese, I wanted to showcase different ethnicities and body types from extra small to plus-size. After all, everybody’s body loves vintage clothes. I want to showcase what I personally see every day. That includes different races and different sizes because that is what America looks like. Luckily, everyone I have encountered has been super supportive. Even if they don’t buy something, they go in and tell me how much they appreciate what I am doing (with diversity and fashion).
LD: Like I said it’s the treasure hunt of it all. My process is to start off with a mood-board, whether on Pinterest or Instagram. When I plan my day I choose three to four places to go throughout the day. I’m drawn to colors, anything bright, texture details, and really good buttons.
LD: I love the 1970s, the whole studio 54 era, early 90s. The early 90s reminds me of my mom. It shocks me to say this, but the early 2000s are considered vintage now even though I was alive then! Everything from the 2000s that I couldn’t afford in junior high and high school I can now afford and bring back because styles always come back.
LD: I love Bianca Jagger she was super well known in the scene of Studio 54. She was such a trendsetter. There are pictures of this look where she clipped her ID onto a pair of platform heels that I’d love to recreate. I also admire Solange for how artistic her fashion is, each piece is a work of art. Tracee Ellis Ross is a perfect example of someone who takes vintage and makes it new. She takes her mother Diana Ross’s clothing and mixes it with the fashion of today. I love women that love to be different or have their own style that can stand the test of time.
LD: Coming from a styling background, I would say what’s easiest for people to do is to create a mood-board on Instagram or Pinterest. Take around 5-10 outfits you’re really drawn to and start with a board to see it then start shopping from that board. Start with staple pieces that you can buy that will last you forever like a good pair of Levi’s vintage jeans and basic white t-shirts that you can add in.
LD: There are so many different ways (to style) especially because vintage is really in. When you buy vintage you can get it tailored so it can look modern, which is something that people don’t really know. You can change the buttons, you can change the collar and take simple, staple vintage pieces and remix them with modern style pieces. The easiest vintage piece to integrate into your style are vintage designer bags.
LD: Doing this and starting this business was a personal struggle at first, you have to really believe in yourself. This business is personally something I haven’t seen so far, so it took a lot of confidence and faith in myself to start it. For people wanting to do something like this, they should just start it and don’t worry if people will like it because the point is remembering why it started. The Club started because I love fashion, I love vintage and there was a need for what I wanted to do. In style and in life nothing is too extra! If you have the confidence to pull it off wear it, wear it to the best, rock it and pull off that confidence.
While racial diversity and representation have lacked in the fashion industry in the past, the ever-changing world of fashion is increasing in representation. Even if some companies backtrack by misrepresenting culture, the internet is sure to keep them in check to be informed for the future.
With the emergence of new industry leaders such as Londyn Douglas we can count on women in fashion to fully represent individual styles from all walks of life.
