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(FASHION) MINORITY REPORT: THE HUB

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The (Fashion) Minority Report (FMR) has announced the launch of a brand-spanking-new collaborative initiative called The Hub, reinforcing its place as a changemaker, re-shaping the face of the industry.

Undertaken two years ago by London-based seasoned marketer, Daniel Peters, FMR has firmly situated itself in the fashion sphere as a business consultancy for industry leading labels. Its focus is building an internal framework to push diversity within creative industries and build inclusive workplaces for all.

Now with The Hub, as a learning and career development resource, FMR is diving deep into the talents of youngins and catalysing critical change. At its core, The Hub addresses the struggle for individuals to comprehend how the professional skills and passions they possess can be transferred into career opportunities. That’s why, to the practical issue of connecting brands with rising talents, The Hub is the solution.

The initiative exercises a mixture of surveying, roadmaps and strategy implementation, alongside workshops on allyship and inclusion, a 16 week mentoring programme and the possibility of a paid internship for its apprentices. “I see it as a 360 degree approach to establishing a better ecosystem that isn’t based on performative action,” Peters explains. The Hub will also instigate a conversation amongst secondary school students between the ages of 14 and 17 in what has been dubbed, Intro to Industry sessions – a summer school sort of mentoring and workshop programme – empowering students to find their professional footing.

What’s more, by providing both digital and physical resources that merge penetrative interviews with industry professionals, toolkits, guides and easily accessible and understandable directories, the DEI consultancy encourages employers to support The Hub and pledge their commitment to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion. Ergo, commencing this journey with FMR, Farfetch, Browns Fashion, the British Fashion Council, John Lewis & Partners and ASOS are stepping up to the forefront of authentic change. “As a collective, we are able to create more impact by collaborating on initiatives which challenge the status quo,” Peters says.

However, despite its origins in fashion, Peters explains that the goal for the reach of The Hub is to extend beyond exclusively creative voices: “Whilst they are a prime focus, a big part of our strategy is to connect with those who might be more skilled in operations, logistics or general business management roles which make up a dominant part of our workforce.”

In its notes on the launch, FMR highlighted the exigency of the initiative, stating that ethnically diverse talent only accounts for roughly 11 per cent of currently occupied roles in the creative sector. If more reflective of the UK population as whole, this value should be increased to a standard of 17.8 percent. “I’ll try to say this without spilling the tea, but the creative sector has been homogenous for the longest time other than in our campaigns, or occasionally on the runway,” says Peters. “It is still very evident that as an industry we’ve built a wall of exclusivity that stops diverse voices from being able to join the ‘club.’”

As a champion of inclusivity and an amplifier of diverse voices providing guidance to novices, professionals and industry leading brands, The Hub will enrich underrepresented points of view and connect young talent with access to professional opportunities, unlocking their fullest potential. “We ultimately want to encourage a wider demographic to see the possibilities that lay ahead,” he says.

Without a doubt, this cultural change-making business is committed to nurturing a future workforce of diverse industry vanguards. Peters concludes: “The creative industries hold much power and influence, so let’s stop paying lip service and start a chain reaction for diversity, equity and inclusive change.”

Photography courtesy of The (Fashion) Minority Report.

fashionminorityreport.com