Must Read: Voices From the Black Community Speak Up on Fashion, Banana Republic Donates $20 Million in Clothes

Plus, designers to watch from RISD.

These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Wednesday.

Voices from the Black community speak up on fashion
When it comes to diversity and inclusivity, the fashion industry has always fallen short. Business of Fashion spoke to a group of Black journalists, influencers, venture capitalists, store owners and photographers, who shared their thoughts on what the industry needs to do to create meaningful change. They range from creating more opportunity for Black people, to mentoring, to speaking out in active, non-performative ways.  {Business of Fashion}

Banana Republic donates $20 million worth of new clothing
In the hopes of helping out communities ravaged by Covid-19 and looting, Banana Republic announced the "Will Work for a Better Republic" initiative. It includes donating $20 million worth of new clothing in partnership with nonprofit Delivering Good to organizations in hard-hit areas where unemployment levels are particularly high. They include Hour Working Women Program in New York, Central City Neighborhood Partners in Los Angeles and Family Focus Englewood in Chicago. {WWD}

Keep your eye on these RISD fashion design graduates
Vogue spotlighted six fashion designers from RISD's graduating class of 2020 and their thesis collections, many of which had topical themes. Desiree Nicole Scarborough, for instance, says her mission was to "tell my story and not allow others to do it for me." She continues: "The fashion industry has a long history of appropriating black culture. Right now—more than not having our culture stolen and made palatable for others by showing it on non-black bodies and selling it at exorbitant prices—we want to live. We are scared for our lives and the lives of black folks everywhere. We want to be heard." {Vogue}

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