Wokefishing - In Fashion?

Why is this interesting right now? We chose André Leon Tally’s statement because it reflects an attitude that can be figuratively described as wokefishing.

“Wokefishing” is a new term that emerged in 2020. It was first used in an article by Vice’s Serena Smith. “‘Wokefishing’, put simply, is people masquerading as holding progressive political views to ensnare potential partners. A wokefish may at first present themselves as a protest-attending, sex-positive, anti-racist, intersectional feminist who drinks ethically sourced oat milk and has read the back catalogue of Audre Lorde, twice,” Smith tells Vice. The term describes someone who pretends to hold more progressive views than they really do.

The author of the wokefishing article points out that she first noticed this behaviour on dating apps where men for example would use #feminist in their bios but upon closer examination their treatment of women told a different story than their online dating profile. “Or, as is often the case, they are actively the opposite in their personal lives. It’s sort of like catfishing, but specifically with political beliefs,” she says.

This term has been changed a lot to suit the situation it’s referring to. Blackfishing, for example, is a popular derivative of this term. It describes a white person that is using tanning, make up, fashion and hairstyles to appear to be mixed with black. Wokefishing is trendy and it can be applied to other aspects as well.

A deep look into the editorial offices, fashion institutions, universities and fashion companies in Germany shows that there is a lack of diversity, inclusion and representation. In December, we were surprised by the news that Christiane Arp, the editor-in-chief of German Vogue had resigned. Well this is an opportunity to make a difference in fashion by filling the position with Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC).

The tragic death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests have finally led some German fashion companies to reflect on their corporate philosophy to date, raising some questions concerning their corporate culture. How diverse are we? How inclusive are we? Some companies have already found a „solution“ that is ideal for them: the use of Blackness. In short, more black models in campaigns, so that the fashion company looks beautifully diverse when in fact it was not so interested in appearing to be such years ago. Following this, a few designers of African origin have been featured in magazines with the addition “Black Owned Brand” and there has been more social media content with BIPOC. Lest we forget ‘tokenism’ to appease the black quota, a symbolic figure to ensure enough diversity in the company by their existence.

The fashion industry needs to explore business models rooted in circularity and longevity. It needs to go further and it needs to be deconstructed down to the smallest individual parts, so that something new can develop. How the international fashion industry defines sustainability does not relate to how sustainability is defined in Africa. It is time to rethink and restructure old thought patterns. The African fashion industry has been playing out in the slow fashion market, where the environment, producers and consumers have always been the focus. The sustainability movement is characterised by the traditional 4 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot). The movement in Africa, on the other hand, has embraced a holistic understanding of sustainability – Redefine, Reclaim, Reimagine and Revolutionise. In order to implement this movement, it requires the expertise of BIPOC in all aspects.

An example of wokefishing in fashion would be Myself Germany Magazine: In their June 2017 edition they highlighted African Styles, unfortunately no African or diasporic fashion brand was mentioned. The term, “African Styles”, was only used to describe the theme of the month and to highlight western brands who help themselves to African aesthetics and unabashedly use it for cultural appropriation. Obviously, it was not the intention of the magazine to present brands or designers of African heritage. We, that is, the collective of Fashion Africa Now, called them out on social media and have not received a response up to today.

The expertise of Fashion Africa Now lies in African fashion; we have started the movement in Germany and have been actively introducing brands like Adama Paris or Maxhosa to the German fashion landscape. Our activism started in 2012, at a time when there was little interest or acknowledgement of „Made in Africa“ and contemporary African fashion. In fact, it was still mistaken for Ethno fashion. Today it is somehow perceived and still not yet acknowledged. In the past we heard a lot about the new pledge of improvement and promises of diversity, inclusion and representation that we became familiar with over recent years. Few actually realised that the first step to being anti-racist is to analyse their own behaviour and workforce.

The wealth of knowledge from BIPOC, however, is indispensable in the process of exercising diversity, inclusiveness and representation. The actors, critical thinkers and activists who practise alternative or new business models should be taken seriously. It is time for circular fashion and awareness for the environmental impact of the clothing industry. The international fashion industry has to admit that change can only happen with a rejection of hegemony. Specifically, the inclusion of BIPOC in relevant leadership positions and the acceptance of new solutions from non-Western perspectives.