A Model Who Looks Like Me: Representing Disability in the Fashion Industry

• In Event: 2121 - Disability, Sex, and Gender (Co-sponsored with the Section on the Sociology of Sex and Gender)

Abstract

The fashion industry has seen an increase in the diversity of media representations. In this paper, we consider how diversity is showcased and specifically, whether images of disability serve to challenge or reinforce negative stereotypes about disability. Situating cultural representations of disability in fashion alongside race and gender, we use three cases of representation and their reception by the public. Our approach contributes to sociological understandings of the diversity of cultural representation in the fashion industry, highlighting the ways in which these reflect, shape, and challenge broader sociocultural norms and values. Bridging what is known about the production and reception of culture, we posit that market logics within the fashion industry constrain the use of models with disabilities and shape their posturing in advertisements and fashion images. Further, we suggest that consumers’ reactions to the use of disabled models interact with the production process, challenge market logics, and provide an opportunity for increased representation and industry change.

Authors

• David Nicholas Pettinicchio, University of Toronto

• Jordan Foster, University of Toronto