A meaningful fashion statement from Vogue writer and journalism alum Christian Allaire
In a conversation led by Ryerson School of Fashion Chair Dr. Ben Barry, School of Journalism, (RSJ) alum Christian Allaire (external link) discusses his newly released book, The Power of Style (external link) .
The Power of Style book cover
Courtesy of Christian Allaire
It was a turning point during school. I thought ‘okay, no one else is going to do this, so I might as well do it because I'm passionate about this’.
Allaire is reclaiming fashion. The RSJ alum and Vogue writer said he’s always been interested in fashion but being Indigenous, he never saw himself represented in mainstream fashion. Coming into Ryerson’s journalism program in 2010, Allaire knew he wanted to work in fashion journalism but it wasn’t until he was immersed in the program that he became aware of more diverse fashion narratives and cultures.
“When I started meeting a lot of indigenous people in fashion [at Ryerson], whether it was fellow students or designers at events, I really started getting interested in cultural fashion,” he said. “After I met all these inspiring people during my studies, I knew that I needed to be writing about [these diverse fashion stories] because nobody was covering these Indigenous designers, jewelry makers and artists who are doing amazing work. They are not being represented at all in fashion.”
But as I started researching, I found there were so many other cultures or minority groups who were feeling the same way I was - who felt ignored by the fashion industry...
Mainstream cultural gaps in fashion
Realizing there was a real gap in Indigenous representation in fashion, he took it upon himself to be a spokesperson and to start featuring Indigenous fashion in his own work.
“It was a turning point during school. I thought ‘okay, no one else is going to do this, so I might as well do it because I'm passionate about this’.”
The more Allaire began to learn about his own cultural Ojibwe identity and Indigenous fashion, the more he began to notice the role of fashion in other cultures as well.
“I really started thinking I was just going to focus on Indigenous fashion. But as I started researching, I found there were so many other cultures or minority groups who were feeling the same way I was: who felt ignored by the fashion industry or have been made to feel inferior or less beautiful,” Allaire said. “[I thought] it would be a disservice to not include more voices. So I decided to open it up and with that, I let my research guide me.”
Author of The Power of Style, Christian Allaire
Lifting minority voices in fashion
Working at Vogue, Allaire says that diverse fashion narratives are finally being recognized and celebrated. He actively pitches stories that are representative and that shine a light on historically excluded voices, and explained how many of the topics he was exploring were firsts and the powerful responsibility he felt in covering them. By centering minority experiences, Ben Barry noted, world views are expanded.
Barry posed a question to Allaire which had been posed in the Vogue writer’s book about how he uses fashion and beauty in his life to express his story. It came down to the power of style, his book’s title, and fashion’s ability to allow for dialogue about brands that were created by Indigenous and diverse designers, and the meaning behind these brands. Allaire also expressed his renewed interest in traditional Indigenous fashion as a way to connect with his own roots.
The personal is political: inside The Power of Style
The Power of Style includes a multitude of stories and lived experiences. Allaire features topics such as makeup styles, hijabs, hair, men’s heels and cosplay and highlights the intersectionalities between fashion, sexuality, culture, faith and social justice.
The Power of Style can be purchased (external link) now in paperback or hardcover.
Keep up with Allaire on social media (external link) .
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