The Fashion Spot's biannual diversity report is out and overall, the website's analysis of 299 shows and 8,832 model appearances in the spring 2017 season suggests that entreaties to cast more models of color have led to positive change in fashion.
But let's start with the bad news: The Olsen twins did nothing to contribute to the racial diversification of fashion shows. At the New York Fashion Week presentation of their high-end brand The Row's spring 2017 collection, the models were entirely white.
Mary-Kate and Ashley weren't the only designers with zero models of color in their lineups: Junya Watanabe, Mila Schön, Daniela Gregis, and Anrealage also had the questionable distinction of casting the least diverse shows.
But the rest of the fashion canvas was more varied. Across New York (the most diverse), London, Milan (least diverse), and Paris fashion weeks, 25.35 percent of the models were models of color — the "first time in recent history" this has happened. Incrementally, we're seeing improvement season over season.
Kanye West's Yeezy Season 4 show had the most diverse show of all, with 97 percent models of color. Kimora Lee Simmons, Ashish, Brandon Maxwell, and Telfar round out the list of the top five most diverse shows for spring 2017.
Yeezy
Kimora Lee Simmons
Ashish
Brandon Maxwell
Telfar
The amount of representation across other categories was a degree more positive than in past seasons, but still not great. Body diversity is up, yet makes up less than 1 percent of model appearances. Transgender models had just 10 appearances total, while women over 50 had 13 appearances.
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