Luxury, modest fashion brand SABIRAH launches SABIRAH Talks, a discussion series committed to the inclusivity and empowerment of women.
Fashion brand SABIRAH, which seeks to elevate and empower all women regardless of size, religion or race, has launched the first in a series of ‘SABIRAH Talks’ panel discussions. These aim to encourage meaningful and much needed conversations, centered around diversity, inclusion and empowerment of women.
Taking place at Somerset House London, brand founder and designer Deborah Latouche chaired a fantastic inaugural SABIRAH Talks panel, which focused on Women of Colour in the Fashion and Beauty Industry.
Amongst many topics, conversation surrounding the persistent underrepresentation of women of colour in the fashion industry was discussed frequently and stressed a need to spotlight the issues faced by these women, and a further need to uplift them. Also discussed in detail was tokenism, discrimination and pay disparity, plus conversations surrounding the hair industry more specifically – particularly around the definitions of ‘textured’ and ‘afro’ hair, and the pressure that many women of colour have faced to relax their hair, rather than embracing its natural style.
Alongside Deborah Latouche, the panel featured the following industry experts:
- Sharon Lloyd - @faceculturalist Senior academic, British Beauty Council DEI, and founding member of @_weareface – Fashion and the Arts Creating Equity
- Nick Irwin - @nickirwinhair Global Ambassador for @schwarzkopfpro and Hair Editor for @hungermagazine
- Arooj Aftab - @its.arooj Fashion Creative and Cultural Consultant
- Karen Cummings-Palmer - @karencummingspalmer Leading Health and Beauty Expert and Founder of @79luxeskincare
- Kim Howells - @kim_howells Award-winning Fashion Stylist and Creative Director, previous Fashion Director of Hunger Magazine
- Nuria Ferreira - Assistant to Nick Irwin and founder of @specialtouch.nuria
- Aicha Mckenzie - @aichamckenzie Founder of AMCK Management - a ground-breaking agency that has since given rise to AMCK Dance, @amckmodels , and AMCK Fit
- Asiya Duranni-Mcann- Previous Head of Advertising & Licensing at Vivienne Westwood, Founder @Auntieagency, Founder @thefashionindustryforum & Owner/Curator @90fromthe90s
“It was fantastic to have attended the inaugural SABIRAH Talks panel. I’d like to say a huge thank you to Deborah for organising such an insightful evening, which raised many thought-provoking comments about the challenges women of colour face within the fashion and beauty industry. It’s also such a privilege for Schwarzkopf Professional to be working with Deborah and to be endorsing and supporting SABIRAH’s values through our work with our Global Ambassador, Nick Irwin, backstage at London Fashion week.” - Annamarie Freeman, Head of Marketing, Schwarzkopf Professional
Aside from addressing these challenges, the discussion created a space which was honest, open, and one which was a true celebration of women of colour. To learn more about the work of Deborah Latouche and SABIRAH, please visit www.sabirah.co.uk.