Celebrity Stylist Kollin Carter Calls Out Racism in Fashion Industry
Whether you know Kollin Carter by name or not, you’re likely a fan of his work.
Kollin Carter, a stylist to the stars, has been dressing some of Tinsel Town’s finest for years. Ever admired one of Cardi B’s fierce and fashionable on-stage looks? Carter has been working behind-the-scenes with Cardi B since the beginning of her career, helping the starlet serve up some of her most iconic looks.
But in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement, Carter has stepped out from behind the curtains and made his voice heard. In early June, Carter made headlines when he publically condemned fashion houses and CEOs that refused to acknowledge the killing of George Floyd. In Carter’s statement (which was posted via Instagram), he refused any future involvement with companies who remained silent about Black Lives Matter.
This past weekend, Carter took an even bolder step in distancing himself from the racially insensitive and prejudiced practices of the fashion industry. Carter fearlessly outed Archive Showroom cofounder Mikey Stone via Instagram after receiving evidence of racist business practices. In a series of texts, Stone complained about dressing Black clients. He then went on to comment that business practices were getting “real urban”, and subsequently referred to Black female clients as “Felicia”.
Carter received these texts through a friend and former employee of the Archive Showroom, who was allegedly fired for dressing too many Black clients. As stated by Carter, these texts emphasize how the fashion industry benefits from Black culture whilst simultaneously and paradoxically bashing it. Other stylists have come forward as well to criticize the Archive Showroom, mentioning their own distasteful experiences.
Carter’s vocal condemnation of racist practices sheds some much-needed light on the prejudiced peripheries of the fashion world. Only by bringing these injustices to light can real change be inspired.
