Designers Jonathan Saunders, Bella Freud, Erdem Moralioglu, and Stella McCartney joined Watson, who is also United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador, in a discussion about the sexism behind the dazzling world of fashion for the HeforShe campaign.
"I want to get this conversation, this dialogue happening specifically within the fashion industry to ask the leading voices about gender equality," Watson said in the video.
Freud brought up the lack of equal pay as one of the problems in the fashion industry. McCartney, on the other hand, said there are challenges in getting maternity and paternity leaves.
Despite these shortcomings, the fashion designers say they understand the industry's role in pushing gender equality.
"I think the fashion industry has a big role to play. It has a huge voice... We need to give a better message to women of all ages, all sizes, and all nationalities. We need to allow women to feel comfortable in who they are," McCartney said.
Saunders added that the fashion industry should be more conscious about how their subjects are portrayed.
"I think it's a big subject about how women are portrayed through imagery in fashion. That is where we need to be really careful with the images that we produce. That it's something that empowers women instead of making them look weaker or more fragile," he said.
But the fashion heavyweights are hopeful for the future of gender equality not just in their industry but in all corners of the world.
"I think the world is evolving into a place where your sex isn't going to limit you in any way, shape, or form," Moralioglu pointed out.
Freud said that at its core, gender equality is really about respect.
"The more people in general are treated with respect and fairness, then the imbalance between men and women will be naturally addressed," she said.
Watson launched the HeForShe campaign in September 2014, a few months after she was named a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in July in the same year. According to the actress, the campaign is about "men coming in support of women and women supporting men to achieve gender equality."
Watson is most known for her role as the brainy Hermione Granger who stood up for the rights of a minority group in the Harry Potter series. — Trisha Macas/BM, GMA News
source: gmanetwork.com
