A Note From The Founder
I could pay the entirety of the 4 year education for a Fashion university student if I collected a dollar for every time a fashion retail peer said some semblance of,
“I absolutely loved working in fashion retail! Unfortunately, I had to leave it behind- for my career prospects. To find a place where more than one Black or Brown person can lead at a time.” “To find a place where I can truly show up fully and lead authentically, being neither ‘pet’ nor ‘threat’.” “To regain confidence in my work after battling misconceptions and groupthink.” “To be a contributor at an organization that lives its own mission statement.” To join a company not under the delusion that I should feel lucky to be there.”
It’s a fact that I both relate to and empathize with my fashion retail peers who have expressed these sentiments. So, how many generations of retail professionals will relate in this way before we take the reins of affecting lasting change in what is inarguably one of the most powerful and profitable industries globally?
The fashion retail industry has delivered on-trend change, engaging profit boosting elements of diversity to satisfy the conscience of the new consumer (post the 2020 cultural awakening), while pushing to deliver positive benchmark financials to c-suite leadership and stakeholders. Acknowledging this, we can also embrace that the core human capital values established by Human Resources, DEI departments, and equal opportunity activities have been diluted by our relentless pursuit of sustainable profit in an increasingly competitive environment as well as the politicization of workforce development.
In other words, fashion retail initiatives purposed for preserving space for innovation through Belonging are vulnerable to shifting organizational priorities, discounting the power of a robust retail marketplace in the process. Let’s change this.
The Vision
The Colour of Retail will be a leader in the realization
of a stable domestic retail industry, with the prioritization of space for fashion retail professionals of Colour to matriculate and thrive.
COR is a committed contributor to the normalization a healthy fashion industry culture.
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