Thursday Style Section: Style for Everyone

This week, instead of highlighting a local designer, we would like to bring awareness to a new online resource…

This industry has a history of not only appropriation, but of idealizing and "centering" fashion as being White or Euro-centric. Fashion Historian Kimberly Jenkins founded The Fashion and Race Database Project not only to bring awareness to this paradigm, but to expand the narrative and challenge mis-representation within the fashion system.

“Kim Jenkins is a lecturer, researcher and consultant who specializes in the socio-cultural and historical influences behind why we wear what we wear, specifically addressing how politics, psychology, race and gender shapes the way we ‘fashion’ our identity.” She has taught at Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute, and is now at Ryerson University in Toronto. In addition to leading ‘The Fashion and Race Database Project’, her many achievements include curating exhibitions, creating her own courses, leading the traveling workshop ‘Fashion & Justice’, and co-founding The Fashion Studies Alliance.

This resource is ever evolving, but currently you can find Articles and Studies and a Resource Library featuring books, video & films, and a Directory of other online resources.

They are currently accepting donations to grow and add new initiatives. See their Vision Statement here.

You can also follow their journey on Instagram.