Fashion brands speak out against racism, in wake of George Floyd protests

Fashion brands like Nike and Supreme are using social media to show solidarity for the protests happening in the US.

The US is currently engulfed by protests campaigning against violence and systemic racism towards black people.

American citizen George Floyd died on May 25, after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. He has now become a fresh symbol of police brutality against blacks in the country.

Fashion brands (like the artists who are standing up against racism) are lending their support to the Black Lives Matter movement, with many using social media to show solidarity. Others have issued new guidelines to rework the industry's approach toward the black community.

Read more: Malaysian designers Tom Abang Saufi and Melinda Looi launch #UnityMasks

Nike called on everyone to be part of the change. In a video posted on Instagram, the brand said, “For once, Don’t Do It.”

Reebok echoed the sentiment, encouraging everyone to “walk in someone else's shoes, to stand in solidarity, and to find our common ground of humanity.”

In a surprising move, Adidas re-posted Nike's statement on its Twitter account. The two brands are known to be staunch rivals. Yet this time, Adidas said: “Together is how we move forward. Together is how we make change.”

View this post on Instagram

Denying a person’s humanity will turn blood into fire, love into rage, community into chaos. ⁣We stand with everyone seeking justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and all victims of police brutality. ⁣-Supreme⁣ ⁣ Pharoah Sanders @rajdebah A post shared by Supreme (@supremenewyork) on May 31,2020 at 11:54am PDT

Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty lingerie label called for fans to #PullUp and speak up. It will also channel proceeds to causes supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Savage x Fenty website has also gone dark for June 2 – instead, redirecting visitors to other websites and encouraging them to donate.

Read more: Can fashion weeks successfully go digital? Malaysian industry insiders weigh in

Copenhagen-based fashion brand Ganni promised US$100,000 (RM429,600) in support of the cause. It is also asking creatives from the black community to get in touch for a collaboration.

"We know this is not enough, we must continue to listen, research, and educate ourselves about systematic injustice and state-sanctioned violence against Black people globally," the brand’s Instagram post read.

Supreme posted a video of saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders with a message from artist Raj Debah. Fashion houses such as Fendi, Valentino, Versace and Gucci have been seen posting messages of support on Instagram, as well.