On March 2nd, influential actress and singer, Zendaya, showed her new line in collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger for the first time at Paris Fashion Week. Zendaya’s alternative and diverse fashion sense is praised by the masses, so the amount of excitement surrounding the debut of her line was only right. However, the clothes itself were not the only thing that we had to be excited about. Not only do the clothes make a statement, but Zendaya also seemed to be making a statement on representation with the structure of her show.
The Zendaya x Tommy show put together something that has never been done before in fashion history–a show entirely made up of Black models. Although all of the models are Black, not one model looked like another. Within the cast, there were diverse skin tones, a variation of hair textures and types, as well as diversity in age. The oldest model was fashion icon Grace Jones, who is seventy years old!
Many of us turn to the fashion world for what is hip and in style, and to recognize what is beautiful. Until now, Black women were not seeing themselves represented in the fashion industry, or even at all. With today’s wave of feminism, we see more diversity within previously white-dominated spaces. However, Zendaya took this farther beyond the one “token” Black model. Zendaya has not only broken boundaries but has set the tone for what true feminism and inclusion looks like in the fashion world.