The Universal Design for Learning method emphasizes this principle. Learners will situate and find themselves in a class or course if they can bring their authentic selves to the material. The professor meets their learning style with media in many formats and assessments with many completion options. It is up to each academic, a right protected by academic freedom, to find a customized solution for every student, that challenges each to their abilities.

There’s a tension between this seemingly highly democratic approach and industry demands to meet external deadlines and the hard skills needed for specific jobs with high-pressure demands. Unrealistic expectations will hopefully fade as we scale back production and consumption in an overheated world.

Authentic representation is a marker for success in how we dress, as well as how we teach and learn. Smaller fashion houses understand this and respond in creative ways.