Fashion, cinema and marketing: An exploratory study of diversity and stereotyping on the red carpets in US Vogue

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research on race and gender stereotypes in the field of cinema and fashion highlights the dysfunction of the social discourse of inclusivity and diversity. The international Red Carpet events continue to reproduce a model of femininity and masculinity according to the traditional canon of beauty, but specialized fashion magazines show a certain tendency to change, that reopen the debate about their role in equality. The symbiosis of both scenarios requires knowing what are the beauty codes and gender stereotypes that identify movie stars in the red carpets and checking to what extent fashion magazines evolve and conveys the message of inclusiveness. The coverage of US Vogue of four red carpets is analysed with the content analysis methodology and then interpreted by a panel of experts. The results show the presence of a stereotyped image of beauty, with the influence and marketing of luxury brands and celebrities, as well as the primacy and continuity of a canon traditional gender binary that identifies women’s fashion magazines. It remains to be seen if, in future red carpets, a more defined trend towards diversity is glimpsed, which also favours a change in strategy in the communication of brands and fashion magazines.