For some reason, this article reminds me of that Ali G episode where Cohon's gay fashionista character and unsuspecting guest were discussing fashion. All outfits either "got kept in the ghetto", or "sent off to Auschwitz".

How about businesses which deal directly with dictatorships and enable them? How about the Swiss banks which helps dictatorships and tax cheaters from all over the world with money laundering? Sure they do freeze the account of some of the big name dictators, but only if they fall out from power. How about the "journalists" who only pretend to care about other people's sufferings? How many anti-Mubarack articles where written BEFORE it was obvious he was about to be overthrown?

The fashion business is shallow, and it is supposed to be. Bashing this particular industry and not bashing other big businesses is simply stupid.

I am quite surprised that FP has published this rather narrow-viewed article.
Is this a joke?

Certainly there are many industries with questionable and downright unethical leaders (Indeed even international organizations. When was the last time one heard Ban Ki Moon give a speech in which he got his facts straight? How about the fact that he actively employs and protects a known war-criminal?) But alas, I digress.

The fashion industry does not consist of individuals holding degrees in International Affairs or Law (thank God.) It is a business, built upon artistic and social ideas, capturing trends starting at the street level and then developing products that are sold to all levels of the socioeconomic strata. The fashion industry is fueled by change and good old human vanity and an almost Icarian-like desire to transform and transcend; not completely unlike politics.

Of course, as in any industry, there will be some unethical and questionable individuals involved (which family does not have a scandalous relative or two?)

Let's apply Ms. Merkelson's little ideas to the rest of the world. We can start by judging all of Italy based on the behavior of Berlusconi. How about asserting that all Libyans are like Gaddafi or that the culture of Sierra Leone is most accurately represented by Ouattara? I am sure that Kim Jong Il is an accurate reflection of the North Korean People, just as Jean Marie LePen is the very definition of a frenchman. America is George W. Bush, just as Adolf Hitler...oops...wait... I forgot That name is off limits.

For all of the idiots in fashion, there are still more well-informed individuals:

Kenneth Cole
In 1987, Kenneth Cole joined the Board of Trustees of amfAR (The American Foundation for AIDS Research). Today, he is Chairman of the Board, and he matches donations to amfAR dollar for dollar, up to $100,000. Cole, who has publicly supported AIDS research since 1985, is known for the controversial advertising of his brand, such as its “We All Have AIDS” campaign. The amfAR Web site quotes Cole as saying, “It is great to be known for your shoes. It is even better to be recognized for your soul.” In addition to his work with amfAR, Cole also sits on the board of HELP USA, the largest provider of jobs, homes, and services for the homeless. Many in the fashion industry consider him one of the strongest, most important voices for positive change.

EDUN
Bono started this ultra-eco-conscious brand in 2006 with his wife, Ali Hewson. The pair set out to create a for-profit fashion line that focuses on raising awareness of the possibilities in Africa by ultimately encouraging the fashion community to do business there. The label actively engages in sourcing organic and sustainable materials whenever it’s possible. The brand promotes the idea that organic cotton provides healthier working conditions and is a valuable market opportunity for farmers in Africa.

Diane von Furstenberg
Just as she recognized the power of a simple wrap dress, style maven Diane von Furstenberg also understands the power of a single female voice. Von Furstenberg works with Vital Voices, an organization that discovers influential women around the world and helps bring visibility to them so they can assume into potential leadership roles. The Vital Voices Web site describes the organization as “the preeminent non-governmental organization (NGO) that identifies, trains, and empowers emerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs around the globe, enabling them to create a better world for us all.”

TOMS
By far the newest player in the lot, TOMS boasts a simple business practice called One for One. For every pair of shoes a customer purchases, TOMS donates a pair to a child in need. Many children in impoverished countries suffer from podoconiosis, which is a painful foot condition caused from walking barefoot that can sometimes even lead to permanent disfiguration. TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie confessed in a Wall Street Journal article, “I wasn’t out to do good. I’m an entrepreneur.” However, while vacationing in Buenos Aires, he learned that children there couldn’t attend school simply because they didn’t have shoes. Mycoskie realized he should start a company based on charity, and TOMS Shoes was born. To date, TOMS has given away some six hundred thousand pairs of shoes.

Donna Karan
Fashion powerhouse Donna Karan created the Urban Zen Foundation in New York City’s West Village to promote creating, connecting, and collaborating on awareness for well-being, empowering children, and preserving cultures. Karan, whose husband died of lung cancer in 2001, devotes much of her philanthropic endeavors to the research of holistic medicine and cancer treatment

The RED Campaign
Gap, Emporio Armani, Nike, Penguin and Converse are all part RED,giving 50% of their profits to the Global Fund to invest in HIV/AIDS research in African countries.

There was also Kenneth Cole's ad "What would you wear to a public execution?" back in the late 90s.

And Hugo Boss designed the Nazi SS uniforms.

Most fashion people are superficial twits who make careers out of making women look ridiculous. Human rights is not something they take seriously.