Gwendolyn Bates has long loved fashion, from her early days of being named “best dressed” in her high school yearbook to launching and designing her own line of jewelry and accessories in 2015. And as a Black woman in the fashion industry, she understands the hurdles placed in the paths of minority designers like herself.
She recalls a time when a wholesaler for a boutique decided not to purchase from her after finding out that Bates is Black. That buyer attempted to place an order with a model that Bates had hired to work her booth at an event, and when Bates returned to her booth to facilitate the sale, the buyer said that they weren’t interested in anything Bates had to offer. Another common occurrence has been when Bates speaks with someone over the phone to schedule a meeting, and then when she arrives at the meeting in person, they’re visibly confused because she’s Black.
“Being a dark-skinned, Black woman in (entertainment industries) is pretty tough in general,” says Bates, who also serves as director of Fashion Week San Diego, an independent fashion week focused on showcasing emerging international and local designers. “If people have biases and blind spots in their perceptions of others with darker skin tones, it will undoubtedly shut down any kind of relationship and some opportunities.”