DeepSummary
The podcast discusses the National Association of Realtors' report on homeownership trends from 2012 to 2022, which showed an increase in homeownership rates among minority groups, particularly Latino and Asian American populations. However, disparities remained, with the African American homeownership rate still lagging at 44% despite a modest increase over the decade.
The episode then shifts to a discussion of diversity in the fashion industry, with fashion historian Shelby Ivey Christie highlighting the cyclical nature of diversity efforts. She notes that while there have been periods of increased representation on runways and magazine covers, the industry often reverts to a predominance of thin, white models and a lack of diversity in decision-making roles.
Christie emphasizes that true diversity in fashion encompasses not only race but also body size, gender identity, and other factors. She believes that designers of color are often at the forefront of promoting diversity, while legacy fashion houses and brands with white leadership tend to perpetuate existing standards.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Homeownership rates increased among minority groups from 2012 to 2022, but disparities persist, with African Americans still lagging behind other groups.
- The fashion industry has a cyclical pattern of embracing diversity for a period, only to revert to a predominance of thin, white models and a lack of diversity in decision-making roles.
- True diversity in fashion encompasses not only race but also body size, gender identity, and other factors.
- Designers of color are often at the forefront of promoting diversity in fashion, while legacy fashion houses and brands with white leadership tend to perpetuate existing standards.
- Magazine covers and other representations of Black talent and celebrities often include white models, possibly to make them more "palatable" or "credible" to a presumed white audience.
- There is a lack of diversity not just on the runway but also in the decision-making roles and teams behind the scenes in the fashion industry.
- The accomplishments and stature of Black artists and celebrities are sometimes overshadowed by the inclusion of white models in their representations.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “We're seeing runways go back to very thin body types. We still haven't seen very much plus size variation on the runways.“ by Shelby Ivey Christie
- “Even that comment implies that whiteness is the standard and everything else is the other.“ by Shelby Ivey Christie
- “Why, when it is black talent or talent of color, there has to be a white proxy there to seemingly give credibility or make it more palatable or whatever the conversation might have been behind the scenes about the sellability, profitability.“ by Shelby Ivey Christie
- “We're seeing creative directors post their teams, a celebratory post at the end of an amazing show, and we're seeing completely white teams.“ by Shelby Ivey Christie
- “These are mega talents, award winning talents, generational talents.“ by Shelby Ivey Christie
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Episode Information
Marketplace Morning Report
Marketplace
2/21/24
As part of our Econ Extra Credit series, we’re exploring race and representation in the world of fashion. Today, we’re joined by fashion and costume historian Shelby Ivey Christie to discuss the industry’s inconsistencies on diversity — including on the runway and on magazine covers, as well as in boardrooms and editorial departments. Also, homeownership swelled before mortgage rates spiked, but disparities remain.
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