It has been a defining year to be a young person in the United States, and a fascinating one to be a fan of fashion. When the whole world stopped, industries across the board were forced to grapple with their propensity for flexibility and innovation. Art was a safe haven for a lot of us in 2020, with music and television giving us a window into a realm where challenges seemed simple when compared to the panic and major questions weighing heavy on us each day. In fashion, while consumerism took a dive, an important opportunity emerged to bring some of the industry’s persistent whispers to full conversations. I choose to see this as a recalibration, a clear chance to consider the priorities that did and should define fashion at the start of a new decade. 

When asked to describe the state of the fashion industry in 2021, executives came back to three words: uncertain, challenging and disruptive. Though the journey is shaping up to be untraditional, these three words represent change. Generation Z has already proven that they will not stand for many of the elitist, exclusionary practices that were characteristic of fashion in the early 21st century, demanding expanded and authentic commitment to sustainability, diversity and overall integrity. While those expectations have been growing, the COVID-19 pandemic presented a set of problems that no one could have prepared for and in turn served as a catalyst for many necessary shifts that the industry likely should have welcomed years ago. For someone who wants to build a career in fashion, I don’t think there has been a more exciting or pivotal time to participate in what will hopefully prove to be the start of a new era. 

In this 2020s Vision series, I plan to look at some of the major forces set to define the next decade of fashion, as well as the people and brands emerging as pioneers. While in many ways it feels like we’re in the eye of the storm, join me in exploring essential trends and the questions that have yet to be answered when we think about the fashion industry. ​

Last week, the New York Times referred to PwC senior partner Tim Ryan as a "white, male, Irish-Catholic millionaire." Hardly a title expected to match a leader in corporate diversity, equity and inclusion, but nonetheless, Ryan has proven himself and professional services network PwC to be committed to authentic allyship and setting standards to be followed by corporate organizations everywhere.

If Tim Ryan's leadership journey had to be broken down to one word, it would be listening. Following a number of fatal shootings around the country in 2016, Ryan received an email from a Black employee wondering why there had been no recognition of the events at work. Rather than simply acknowledging this employee's concerns in a memo, Ryan responded by clearing the whole company's schedules for a day to prioritize a firm-wide conversation about race. Despite being vehemently discouraged by other executives, Ryan proceeded, strong in his beliefs of the importance of transparency. Following the conversation, another Black employee approached Ryan, reminding him of his responsibility to push other companies to diversify alongside PwC. Following through on this idea is likely what will define Tim Ryan's legacy as a leader, within and outside of PwC. 

Ryan credited much of his leadership style to lessons his mother instilled in him: "You've got to respect people. You've got to listen. The best leaders are the ones who listen and process, and listen and process." It is this level of consideration for his colleagues and the issues that mater to them that led to an undeniably powerful transition that started at PwC but would soon extend far outward. 2017 marked the start of CEO Action for Diversity, a group of organizations, led by Ryan, committed to diversifying their work forces and sharing the practices that got them there. Today, the program includes more than 1,600 CEOs worldwide, fostering an ongoing conversation about corporate diversity and inclusion that is all the more relevant four years after its launch.

In 2020, with the world shaken by an unprecedented pandemic and a social justice revolution, Tim Ryan recognized the necessity for leading by example, and PwC released a Diversity & Inclusion Transparency Report. A testament to continued progress, Ryan explained what he really wanted to communicate with the report: "Look at us. We're not perfect. But here are the steps we're taking to get better." Just because PwC has been forthcoming and admirably honest about their relationship to corporate diversity does not mean their journey is done. Creating and publicizing the larger goals that inform the company's mission comes back to Ryan's philosophy on listening and processing, being in tune with stakeholders and culture at large. 

In his interview with the Times, Ryan touched on the response he got from many white male colleagues as diversity initiatives were implemented. Several of them felt cheated or that their work was devalued as others were lifted. To this, Tim Ryan poignantly responded, "You may not be the lead partner, but how about helping the person get the role? What would you rather be remembered for? What do you want to be inspired by?" As communications professionals and leaders, these are the most important conversations to be having. In prioritizing diversity, transparency and listening, we can build and encourage environments that are not only successful in business but in culture as well, enthusiastically assuming the role of advocate and ally. 

​"Business has a responsibility to give back to the community," said Ben Cohen when he and Jerry Greenfield founded the ice cream empire that is now Ben & Jerry's. Grand Poobah of PR Sean Greenwood knows how integral community involvement is to Ben & Jerry's as a company, and its latest partnership with the Advancement Project is yet another example of its fine-tuned recipe for corporate social activism. 

In a presentation organized by Syracuse University's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, Greenwood and digital campaigns strategist for the Advancement Project Cedric Brown dove deep into the planning and results of Justice ReMix'd, a limited-batch flavor created to foster awareness and education regarding racial justice issues. During the program, entitled The Sweet Taste of Justice: The Advancement Project's and Ben & Jerry's Quest for a Just Democracy, the two discussed the function of public relations in a values-driven business. 

By weighting their social mission with the same importance as their product and economic missions, Ben & Jerry's not only communicates its commitment to making the world a better place, but it also allows the company to develop thoughtful and impactful campaigns that feel authentic to the brand, the cause and the consumer. And of course, for Ben & Jerry's, this happens through ice cream. To the untrained eye, Justice ReMix'd is just swirls of chocolate and cinnamon ice cream with bites of cinnamon bun dough and spicy brownies. Those ingredients were not just picked because they are delicious, but because they illustrate the mission of the Advancement Project. The chocolate and cinnamon ice creams represent people of all different races, while the spicy fudge brownies stand for "the fight that we all need to have to fight for our rights," according to Cedric Brown. The attention to detail here showcases the passion of both organizations while creating a tasty product that will serve as a starting point for conversation and education.

Simple product announcements are no longer newsworthy; there needs to be a story that gives customers a reason to pay attention. The digital revolution of fashion has created a simultaneous surge of humanity, breaking down fashion’s cold exterior to highlight the innate artistry and passion that keeps the industry thriving. Getting a backstage look into the imaginations and inspirations of fashionable creatives is just one of the many gifts that social media has granted fashion devotees. For a member of Generation Z who dreams of working in the fashion industry, it seems that, today, we are living in the heyday of fashion. ​

For much of the history of contemporary fashion, there has only been one definition of beauty: young, white, able-bodied and size zero. But as someone who wants to build their future in the world of fashion communications, the SS20 runway at New York Fashion Week reinforced my faith in an inclusivity revolution that the fashion industry desperately needs and seems finally ready to welcome. Here are five designers whose SS20 collections made me proud and excited for the future of high fashion: 

2020 is the start of a new golden age of fashion, but there is still so much room to grow. As fashion month comes to a close, we've seen some of the most inclusive runways yet, but some of the giants remain hesitant to stray from their long-standing ideals. As Gen Z reaches the workforce, it will be our responsibility to keep the momentum strong within the fashion industry.

What do you think will be the next movement to hit fashion? Who do you want to see embrace diversity with their next collection? Share your thoughts below!