- Influencer is someone who brings something to people.
Who have something to share.
You are an influencer when you
put something in people's hearts.
- Hello, my name is Tiffany Reid.
I am the Vice President of Fashion here at Bustle.
Join me as I investigate what's in store
for the future of fashion.
We'll be highlighting disruptors
who are rethinking their approach to the industry
to create a more inclusive environment.
More than a billion, yes,
a billion people use social media in one month.
Social media runs our world right now
and there are a few industries that capture the evolution
of social media as well as fashion.
We're long past the days of anonymous model
without anything to say.
Influencer culture has become a formidable part
of the industry.
Our feeds have become cluttered
with Hashtag Ads and sponsor content,
interspersed with world altering events
playing out in our timelines.
We're reaching a point of weird cross-contamination.
I spoke with Sharon Alexie, a Paris-based model,
artist, and activist, who represents a fresh take
on the fashion industry and social media.
So what is it about social media
that makes you feel more comfortable
and makes you come out of your shell?
- I see it like a huge mood board.
So showing my evolution to express what is wrong
or what is right.
Showing the best part of ourself, for sure,
but in such a personal way.
Being able to put words on
what we experience is very important.
A kind of reassurance of not being alone.
- What do you think fashion's role is right now
given the state of the world and the industry
to make sure that we're actually seeing change happen
because we know social media has been so impactful
on forcing the fashion industry to sort of step up?
- Fashion is a domain that reflects society.
We had to face problems (indistinct)
that we used to avoid such as racism.
We also have seen the over exploitation
of dead bodies by a lot of medias.
So I think that now we have to be really sincere
and work about this notion of dignity
that we should we question all those words
and put them in actions.
- You know, jumping on this bandwagon of Black Lives Matter,
et cetera, but then not doing the work behind it.
That's not authentic, right?
- I think that work should be done the whole time
not just when events happen.
- What has been your experience being bi-racial
working in the fashion industry?
- When I started in fashion,
I always felt like I was not welcome
in some shoots or some sets.
I was usually asked to talk as a black woman
and I think it's a big problem
because when you take a bi-racial to talk as a black woman
you don't only raise the skin color,
you raise a whole story, a whole experience,
and I think that black people
doesn't have enough space to talk about those issues.
- Black people, black women are
not a monolithic group where we're all the same.
There's so many layers to us, right?
When you try to talk about the black experience,
there's layers to what the black experience means.
So I think people even when casting for that
or having people come and speak and having influencers,
you know, talk on that behalf
that they need to be really conscious
of what that specific person's experience is
and if they even have the experience to speak
to it from an informed point of view.
- If I were to step on black woman's space, you know.
Fashion is a great space to talk
about what is currently happening in the world
and how we can move forward and bring changes.
- So you once said that the culture of fashion
can eat authenticity, what did you mean by that?
- When the fashion industry have the tendency
to over exploit things and to abuse about things
and it doesn't help.
It doesn't help because it takes out the soul of something.
And when I say that, I think a lot about fights, you know.
Resident fight is something very serious.
I think that when we over exploit it
and we doesn't put the real weight that it should have,
it takes out the authenticity of the fight.
- Sharon, what is your advice to young influencers
who like social media,
they're thriving on social media,
but are struggling with where they land
on how to talk about racism and injustices.
- Don't be scared of truth.
Never be scared to be authentic
about what you have to share
and it's always beneficial for everybody.
- The truth will set you free.
- Exactly. (women laughing)
- It's corny, but it's real. (women laughing)
Sharon, where do you see the future of fashion
and what direction do you see the industry going?
- That the fashion industry will move
towards something very positive, very sincere,
more human in how they represent the world.
More respectful about the dignity of humans.
To open new conversation, but also take actions from that.
- Be open to conversation and be willing to act
after you hear it.
- Yeah.
- [Tiffany] Sharon gave such a positive point
of view and perspective on how influencers, the youth,
and the next generation can use their platforms
to continue the conversation
and make sure that they hold the brands accountable.
So thank you, Sharon, for sharing that.
Thank you guys for joining.
If you have any questions
please leave them in the comments below
and don't forget to subscribe to Bustle.
I look forward to seeing you guys again
on the next episode of Future of Fashion.
(upbeat digital music)