T he lazy embrace of summer break allows the designer a chance to ruminate their work and direction, to ponder inspirations and new influences in order to remain at the precipice of creative innovation, and to consider all options with an eye on profitability. There is much to consider these days; one of these points of contention is our changing preference of proportion and dimension in the wake of diversity awareness.  

For the longest time fashion has embraced a rather restrictive model that showcased the design, utilizing a body type, age and race that failed to represent the actual populace. Those designers fortunate to have an international reach are aware that different ethnic groups can have variations on proportion and fit; for example, local lines in Japan will not sit well on a more Nordic frame and need alteration to suit the body type it wasn't originally meant for. In our global market, designers need to consider the variations when creating design that goes global to satisfy diverse markets. 

Cultural values has also recently influenced collections. Before, we'd find some years where covering up the body was preferred while in others the glorification of sexualization would allow strategic lack of coverage to be showcased. Now, with diverse values to satisfy we find designers providing both options, thus altering the formula and changing the trend landscape.

With the rising cry of inclusion for all body types and ages more pronounced, new challenges will shape collections further. Some designs translate better on a wider variety of body types, while others do not. Therefore, the maximizing of profitability will provide influence over which pieces become more pronounced and shape trend directions for a wider audience. As well, some design challenges for previously ignored body ranges may open doors to new design approaches that can alter the greater aesthetic. This new form of exclusivity (something that always is favoured in fashion) will shape influence in greater design collections and, eventually, the general public that gets influenced by them.

Our growing awareness inclusion and acceptance is fostered by the democratization that our connected world provides, yet this inclusion creates new exclusion as we create novelty in the "discovery" of new type territories to glorify; fashion feeds on this as it seeks newness as its constant.

So while the bad news is that, at some point, your "type" may not be the flavour of the month, the better news is that we have grown the roster so that we all have a chance to be special in the eye of fashion. And so it goes, so it goes....