Bullying in fashion industry

Bullying in the fashion industry might not be so well known, but it exists for decades and it is almost at a frightening level that causes us to wonder what degree of toxic environment exists within the fashion in- dustry. The Fashion Industry has always been considered glamorous, filled with creativity, excitement, and a rich-core lifestyle. But the indus- try is deeply embedded in misogyny, bullying, racism, and harassment. Approximately a 430million people work in fashion, clothing, and textile production worldwide, with a global fashion industry value of $ 1.5trillion. However, workers face the challenge of bullying as they try to maintain their spot and reputation in this field. With cutthroat competition, work- ers have a difficult time expressing their opinions out of fear of losing their jobs.

Bullying is defined as someone purposefully hurting or frightening someone of lesser power or authority, often forcing them to act in ways they don't want to. As a work associated with luxury and glamour, workers in the fashion industry are often bullied by someone at a higher position. Although bullying occurs in every industry, the manner in which it occurs in the fashion industry is often different from that of corporations.

Here are a few of the signs of bullying in the fashion industry

1. Undermining the opinions of workers and models.

2. Intentionally excluding the workers portraying them as incom- petent.

3. Deceiving a fashion worker and forcing them to do an uncom- fortable project.

4. Models are subjected to constant criticism and harassment over their physical appearance.

5. Discrediting workers for their efforts,

6. No work-life balance and unrealistic expectations of workers' availability.

7. Discrimination based on size, color, ethnicity, gender, etc.

8. Sexual abuse.

9. Giving constant threats and scares in relation to job security.

Analyzing the incidents of Bullying in the Fashion Industry.

Fashion workers have experienced at least one of the above signs of bullying in the fashion industry. An allegedly rampant bullying culture is common in the fashion industry, based on a 2019 survey by news publication Fashionista. Fashionista sur- veyed 640 professionals from different positions in the fashion in- dustry and found the following:

1. Eighty-one percent of the surveyors reported having been lbul- lied by colleagues at least once.

2. 72% of these have faced public humiliation as a form of pun- ishment by their seniors.

3. 70% said they have been yelled at.

4. And, 60% have reported being threatened for their job security.

One of the most famous supermodels is Karen Elson who has spoken out against sexual harassment and abuse in the fashion industry. She explored the dark idea of how models are being treated less like a human and more like props with no feelings and emotions. When the models speak up about something they are uncomfortable with, they are treated with contempt. The skinny culture has forced women to overwork their fragile bodies to a point where they often fall sick. Elson says "I survived sexual harassment, body shaming, and bullying. And I am supposedly one of the lucky ones" She discusses later how young models in the industry, who are preyed upon by their guardians, often don't realize the line between modeling and escort work. Cory Bond, another male model, spoke out about how he was assaulted and drugged despite the fact that the assaulters were powerful and he did not want to end up losing his job.

Lack of Legal Protection in the fashion industry.

Accountability remains one of the biggest issues of bullying in the fashion industry. There is a major lack of legal protection for the fashion industry workers. Fashion models are usually consid- ered independent contractors which leaves them vulnerable to bullying. Contracts do not reflect the actual relationship be- tween parties, and even if they did, their unfairness would not be addressed as a result of the imbalance of power. A great effort has been done by Model Alliance, a non-profit advocacy group that has taken multiple initiatives the fair treatment and equal opportunity at different levels of the fashion industry. The progress to mitigate child labor among big fashion brands is still minimum. The industry thrives on the inse- curities of young women, promoting eating disorders and unhealthy prac- tices. There is a lack of solid legal policies that protect the fashion industry workers from these issues, which remain unchecked by the law.

Entering the fashion industry still remains a dream of many. Some succeed to be a part of this glamorous industry but later find themselves questioning their choices while many feel trapped with no way out. We need to eliminate power imbalances in the fashion industry or else more people who have the same mindset will enter and use their positions of authority inappropriately. The supply chain in the fashion industry, from factory workers to brand owners, must be checked by the proper regulatory authorities. If the victims of abuse cannot be afforded the proper legal protection if they speak out about the current issues, bullying in the fashion industry will continue.