"We should all be so lucky to have a closet overflowing with special dresses."
An introduction to Arab dress, revisiting a sartorial biography, “Should Black People Buy Luxury Fashion?” and supporting the Black Beauty Archives.
Hello everyone,
This week has kicked off with International Women’s Day (Monday, March 8), and recently I partnered with our friends at Holt Renfrew to support women impacted by homelessness. I was joined by four brilliant women–including Indigenous designer Christi Belcourt–and responded to a couple of questions from Holt Renfrew about what International Women’s Day means to me. One question was, What is it important to not lose sight of when it comes to empowering women? I had this to say:
All too often, we lose sight of the fact that longstanding toxic ideologies have sabotaged the progress and equanimity of racialized women. Racism continues to exist and when it is compounded by patriarchy, it has dire consequences. If we want to learn how to empower women, we must first look to the women who carry the greatest burden.
When it comes to the intersection of my mission at The Fashion and Race Database, my everyday life and what I see happening globally, compassion, understanding and sustainability are linked. We cannot talk about equality and sustainability without understanding the plight of racialized women–they are the ones who carry the greatest burden (i.e. double-jeopardy, and many women who also face ethnoreligious or class discrimination deal with triple-jeopardy). I believe that Black feminist scholars provide a masterclass in addressing these matters of sustainability and equality.
As The Library within The Fashion and Race Database grows, I am working on collecting as many resources as possible that introduces the relevant work of feminist scholars of color to fashion research. This past week, I’ve scratched the surface with a new sub-section in The Directory called ‘Educators & Scholars,’ which offers profiles of contemporary scholars and educators “doing the work.” Take a peek (look for the entries with headshot photos). Please keep in mind that we are only getting started, so more names to come!
Today our newsletter presents a special reading list that introduces you to Arab dress, then we revisit a tender story from ‘Our Fashion History’ that traces the personal fashion history of a scholar’s mother. There’s also a time-sensitive update for you, as today The Brooklyn Public Library’s latest Podcast Club gathering will ponder, “Should Black People Buy Luxury Fashion?” and The Black Beauty Archives is seeking submissions that will help preserve history.
From The Library: An Introduction to Arab Dress
This week we have a special reading list put together by our friends at The Zay Initiative, an organization that specializes in the history of Arab dress in the UK:
The Zay Initiative aims to promote an understanding of regional culture, and preserve, collect, document, and conserve Arab historic dress and adornment, and their stories. They believe each item in their collection conveys a valuable story and needs to be preserved, and to continue to sustain global cross-cultural dialogue and educate others on the art of Arab dress.
Arab Dress & Adornment Collection by The Zay Initiative (Exhibitions & Archives)
‘The Sofa Series,’ by Ansie van der Walt, & Issa Saleh Al Kindy (Open-Access Article)
Sultani,Traditions Renewed; Changes in Women’s Traditional Dress in the UAE during the reign of Shaikh Zayid Bin Sultan Al Nahyan 1966-2004 by Dr Reem Tariq El Mutwalli, Founder of The Zay Initiative. (Book)
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion: Volume 5, Central and Southwest Asia, edited by Joanne B. Eicher (Book)
Palestinian Costume by Jehan Rajab (Book)
‘The Library’ is where we collect and organize countless educational sources all in one place. Referenced by educators, students, fashion enthusiasts and curious minds, this multi-faceted repository provides an expanding selection of tools for learning about all matters connected to fashion, appearance, power and the impact of ‘race.’
Do you appreciate our content and research? Learn about our sponsorships or support us with a one-time or monthly, sustaining donation!
Our Fashion History: ‘The sartorial biography of Lisette Lasater’s mother’
Dr. Lisette Ordorica Lasater is an Assistant Professor of English at Palomar College in San Marcos, California. Her areas of research include Chicana/Latina literature and cultural studies, Chicana feminism, and theatre and performance studies. Dr. Lasater shared the beautiful story of her mother’s relationship to clothes, illustrated through four photographs that marked significant moments in her mother’s life.
Style has been a way for her to rise above, to be more than just a farmer’s daughter, just another immigrant worker, just another mother. Style allows for her to make her presence known. This simple embroidered cotton dress with a colorful rebozo (shawl) around her shoulders at first gave me pause, and then gave me peace. In this dress, my mother is as content as she was in her taffeta or bridal lace. Here she is fully Juliana: a daughter, a mother, a sister, a grandmother, a comadre (friend).
For a long time my mother’s closet seemed excessive, an embarrassing amount of old clothing for a person to own. But as I grow older and develop my own attachments, I better understand the power of a dress, and how in keeping that dress you hold on to a little piece of who you were when you wore it. We should all be so lucky to have a closet overflowing with special dresses.
'Our Fashion History' shares stories from contributors' photo albums in effort to expand the narrative and visual landscape of fashion history. Do you have a story to share? Contact us to share your family photos, showing the power of dress, history and identity. Stories from Black, Indigenous and self-identified People of Color are encouraged.
The Calendar: “Should Black People Buy Luxury Fashion?” (Tuesday, March 9)
From the Brooklyn Public Library’s Podcast Club:
Join us for a twice-monthly podcast discussion club: like a book club, but for your ears. Once you’ve registered, you’ll be sent Zoom meeting info a half hour before each session.
Each month will be a new theme and have a new set of podcasts to listen to: from narrative formats to interviews and everything in between. We’ll talk content and construction, and participants can have a say in what we listen to in upcoming sessions. And be on the lookout for guest speakers!
Podcast aficionados and newbies welcome!
March’s Theme: Fashion
Podcasts for Session 1 on March 9th :
Not Carrie Bradshaw
Episode: “Should Black People Buy Luxury Fashion?” (26 mins)
Dressed: The History of Fashion
Episode: “Refashioning History, an interview with artist Fabiola Jean-Louis” (56 mins)
Visit our event page for details and to register.
A global network of events, conversations and opportunities will continue to evolve the discourse on fashion and race. ‘The Calendar’ remains on the pulse and keeps you looped in.
Opportunities: Black Beauty Archives Call for Submissions (ongoing)
From the Black Beauty Archives:
Curated from the hearts and minds of Black women, the Black Beauty Archives encompasses the history of our past, documents the present while imagining the future. Their mission is to preserve, document and celebrate the history of Black Beauty through cosmetics and beauty culture.
Objects include rare vintage beauty ads, magazines, press photos, stamps and beauty tools. Exclusive oral histories from beauty professionals and creatives alike, are added to their collection on bimonthly basis. BBA will continue to add to these collections, expanding their archival holdings to reflect the dynamic aesthetics of Black Beauty.
Visit our ‘Opportunities’ page for this call if you are interested in learning more or contributing.
A global network of events, conversations and opportunities will continue to evolve the discourse on fashion and race. ‘Opportunities’ remains on the pulse and keeps you looped in.
That’s it for now. Please stay safe and we’ll see you next week.
Yours in service and solidarity,
Kim Jenkins
The Fashion and Race Database Team: Rachel Kinnard, Daniela Hernandez, Kai Marcel, Laura Beltrán-Rubio and Anthony Palliparambil, Jr.