The Glassy Runways If we look at the literal meaning of glassy, it is described as lifeless, expressionless, transparent, and fixed. And the characteristics of glass are also seen as something which is shiny and gives you a real image. These are two different meanings of “glass.”
Similarly, the fashion industry also has different faces. One is available for the general public and appears to be glamorous, vibrant, and shiny, and the other one is behind this enchanting world. The glittering universe of the fashion industry is seen and enjoyed by everyone, but the other one is hidden from their eyes.
The disoriented world of Fashion
The fashion industry is outnumbered by women in terms of the number of men. Half of the work is related to fashion, majorly done by women workers. Even on the cover of magazines or on the runways the number of female models is higher than the number of male models.
But do female workers get the same credit as done by male co-workers?
To get the analysis of the difference between male and female workers, the Council of Fashion Designers of America a partnership with Glamour Magazine. They tried to grasp the reason behind these differences and surveyed many fashion companies. They called these studies “The Glass Runway.”
In the study, they try to give the reasons behind gender inequality and ways to overcome them. They came up with four major reasons that need to be tackled if we want the fashion industry to be equal for everyone. These are,
- Lack of awareness and commitment toward work
- Uncertainty of success
- Lack of proper mentorship
- Restrained lifestyle
Fragile like a Glass
As the mirror shows only what it sees, similarly fashion industry appears to be charming from its appearances. And as audiences, we only see that beautiful charm. Certain stereotypes need to be taken into consideration when we talk about Fashion because not all mirror images are true and real.
One of the issues that need to be talked about is gender differences. Like other industries, in the world of fashion, women are not given equal credit as males. One of the reasons for this can be a lack of awareness in women about their positions in a fashion company. They settle down for less and other work opportunities are given to male members.
Few women think that they will not be able to juggle between work and family. Hence, they accept whatever comes their way. They do not demand more because of the restrictions they are a part of and not males. Besides this women are also not trained as men. They are not given any guidance about their work, and all the other advantages are given to men.
To deconstruct this hierarchy “The Glass Runway” is created. So that females should come in front and talk about the issues faced by them in the companies. And that is achievable by educating them about their place in the fashion industry.
