“Black is cool now, but what if in a few years racial equity is not at the top of my employer’s concerns? Will they tell me that I can go now?” Many Black employees believe that the moves companies are taking will not result in permanent change. Black students agreed, saying that Black culture is trendy right now; their view is that brands are trying to capitalize on these trends. These students have real concerns about entering the fashion industry during this moment.
![Whose meritocracy is it, anyway?](/~/media/mckinsey/featured%20insights/charting%20the%20path%20to%20the%20next%20normal/2021/august/gif%20charts/gif-whosemeritocy-ex6-v2.gif)
To explore the interactive, see “Voices and viewpoints of fashion students and emerging designers,” July 20, 2021.