THE COMING REVOLUTION: A HUMAN WAY FORWARD

This past decade has seen an explosion of change: globalisation, fast fashion, political upheaval, online selling and the rise of social media. It’s incredible to recall what was happening in 2010: banks were crashing in the biggest financial crisis anyone could remember. That was when I took the role of the British Fashion Council’s first ambassador for emerging talent, as I was afraid the chances of a whole creative generation might be wiped out. Well, looking back: they were not. The lesson for the fashion industry has been that philanthropic support for young people has a massive value for securing its own future. Ten years ago, it began coming from many directions, for example from contests and prizes. In a world that can seem bleak, overwhelming and insanely fast, it’s worth pausing to praise the achievements of new designers in bringing about positive change. There are people who were starting out in 2010 who are now at the top – Jonathan Anderson, Simon Porte Jacquemus and Simone Rocha just to name a few. But the influence of younger creatives goes far beyond establishing commercial success – they have changed fashion culture. They are trailblazing a fresh surge in menswear that has opened a new era of expressions of masculinity, gender fluidity and LGBTQ consciousness. For example, Charles Jeffrey has made his shows a celebration of non-binary identities, while Grace Wales Bonner has placed black male history and culture at the centre. People of colour never had a voice in fashion a decade ago. Now that is changing. Stella Jean first emerged in Milan, followed by the meteoric rise of Virgil Abloh, through Off-White and Louis Vuitton. Samuel Ross with A-Cold-Wall, Nicholas Daley and Saul Nash are lighting up London. Kerby Jean-Raymond with Pyer Moss and Telfar Clemens with Telfar are leading the movement in New York. And now, the world is waking up to African designers such as Kenneth Ize from Nigeria and Thebe Magugu from South Africa. It’s also up-and-coming designers and fashion students who are leading on sustainability. They’re refusing to be implicated in the waste, destructiveness and lack of care for workers which the clothing industry wreaks on the planet. Upcycling, responsible sourcing and localism are becoming the new normal. To survive, fashion must stay relevant by being in touch with how the new generations want to live, their principles and aspirations. The only way to adapt to the future is to hire, collaborate with and support young people – right through to funding education. In the next ten years, I see a revolution coming. Young designers represent an open, inclusive and more human way of doing things. By enabling their creative intelligence, the industry stands its best chance of reshaping itself for a better future.