Special Edition Fall 2023: Opinion: Fashion at St. Kate’s: Diversity and inclusion

Cover image: Kiara Gomes, third to the left, poses with her models at the Brown Girl Magic Fashion Show. Credit: Kiara Gomes

By Layah Johnson

A couple years ago, in high school, my classmates and I were given an opportunity to write about something we were interested in. I chose fashion and its impact on body image. I wrote this essay in 2022, when the Y2k style was having a resurgence. I was fascinated by the uproar of millennial women who shared their concerns about the trend that emphasized a flat stomach and small waist. This interest in how fashion can make a person feel (whether it be a positive or negative influence) carried me to now, when I decided to interview St. Kate’s fashion majors about the importance of inclusivity in fashion.

I first asked what drew them to fashion. “I got into the idea of fashion when I started working at Goodwill in 2021,” said Nora Crayford ‘27 (Fashion Design). “I learned that St. Kate’s had a fashion camp, and I attended. It made me decide to go to St. Kate’s and major in fashion.”

I also asked Kiara Gomes ‘25 (Fashion Design/International Studies, Sustainability Studies/Social Sciences minors), co-president of the St. Catherine University Fashion Association (SCUFA), the same question. “I’ve been sewing since I was 13,” she said. “I learned more about sustainable fashion which made me want to be in the fashion industry. I’ve applied to different fashion programs and I got into St. Kate’s.”

Both Crayford’s and Gomes’s interest in fashion had humble beginnings, which made me wonder if they ever thought about how fashion influences our daily lives, including its impact on how we view ourselves.

“When we first think of ourselves, a lot of people find clothes that they think will match with their body,” said Gomes. “Our professors always tell us: Don’t equate bodies to fruit!”

Crayford said that fashion can bring out our inner confidence. “Fashion can make a person feel good in their own body. I feel like days when I dress in a more fun outfit, I feel more confident and outgoing.”

Interested in the diversity and inclusivity of fashion at this university, I asked them what the atmosphere was like in the fashion program. “There are so many different types of people in the fashion department,” Crayford said. “I think it’s important to have a diverse group of people to learn new things.”

**Nora Crayford at the fashion camp catwalk. Credit: Nora Crayford**

Gomes shared the same sentiment: “I overall find the community here pretty inclusive. I feel like people here feel more comfortable to dress how they want since there are not many men on campus.” However, she added that more work can be done. “I would always love to see more racial diversity, body diversity, gender expression. There’s always room for improvement.”

Even though Crayford said the department is fairly diverse, I asked her what we can do to expand the inclusivity of the fashion department and its community. “I think we should have more fashion clubs, maybe a fashion or sewing NFSO.”

**Nora Crayford. Credit: Nora Crayford**

Lastly, I wanted to know their hopes for fashion as a whole. “A lot of people are bringing new styles and images out into our community,” said Gomes. “I would always love to see more people who are outside the fashion community get involved with diversity within fashion.”

With body inclusion in mind, Crayford said, “I think it’s important to make clothing that anyone could wear, and to have a vast range of sizes so that everyone can be included.”

I believe one can never undermine the importance of diversity and inclusion in all industries and institutions. As I conducted interviews with my fellow Katies, I felt a sense of hope for the future of the fashion industry and what they will do within it.