Models Trust, Show Division Work on Making the Backstage Experience More Inclusive
LONDON — As real-life industry gatherings restart and New York Fashion Week kicks off this week, the world is about to see just how much diversity and inclusion efforts have really progressed, on and off the runways.
“There’s more diversity on the runways without a doubt, but this doesn’t mean there’s more inclusivity backstage,” said Celia Sears, founder of Show Division, a company that provides backstage staff for key shows, particularly in the big four fashion capitals.
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Sears has been working with Models Trust, an organization that wants to create fair working conditions for models, to make the backstage experience more inclusive. She said that backstage hair and makeup teams aren’t necessarily trained to work with Black models in particular.
“Most, if not all, Black models have been in front of a stylist who has no clue how to work with textured hair. The (models) have to carry their own kits, they always have their own (foundation) shade and are made to feel less welcome than the girl sitting next to them.”
In a bid to remedy the problem, Sears, together with Models Trust, has created a set of beauty kits filled with essential hair and makeup products that will be distributed to 30 of the top Black models in time for fashion month. The kit contains six styling products created specifically for textured hair, including a hydrating mist, argan oil-enriched mousse, and thermal defense spray.
In addition, Show Division is hosting a series of workshops for hair and makeup artists who work backstage. The aim is for these backstage professionals to receive proper training on how to work with textured hair, and to carry makeup that suits a variety of skin tones.
While Sears’ proposal appears to be a straightforward solution, the pickup from fashion week organizers hasn’t been immediate.
Italy’s Camera della Moda was the only major fashion week organizing body to respond immediately and to add the initiatives into its manifesto.
Starting with the spring 2022 show season, Show Division will host training workshops in Milan to ensure that beauty pros are equipped to deal with models of color.
“The Camera della Moda is really leading the way, and I’m hoping that the other organizing bodies will follow after this season’s launch,” said Sears, adding that the CFDA has started a discussion forum, inviting her to contribute articles to its platform and to participate in panel talks addressing the backstage experience.
“We are getting some more requests for people who do textured hair, but models are still worried. It all depends on whose chair they’ll end up sitting on,” said Sears. “But, at the end of the day, things will change. When diversity is invited to the party, inclusion must join the dance.”
As well as rolling out the Show Division workshops to more fashion weeks and ensuring that more beauty pros are trained to work with diverse casts, Sears is also planning to release her beauty kits to the wider consumer market later this year.
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