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Beauty and the charity beat

Jeff Trexler | Friday 27th March 2009

A report from the Skoll World Forum highlights an academic's "fascinating hypothesis" that Avon could be a force for improving the economic condition of women in developing nations.

Which says more about the academy than Avon, because people in the fashion and cosmetics industries have known this for decades, if not centuries.

The nonprofit world--including but not limited to the scholarly community--lags way behind commercial business in its understanding of the role of style in promoting social change. Personal sales networks such as Avon and Mary Kay just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Beyond the economic impact on the seller, the acquisition of make-up and a pretty dress can create a sense of confidence that helps a person rise above their financial constraints.

Consider the various Cinderella Projects run in cities across the U.S. Support for these initiatives, which collect gowns for disadvantaged girls to wear to prom, has plummeted amidst concerns that they are "frivolous." However, as Gloria Baume, fashion director of Teen Vogue, aptly notes, "One night like this can literally change the way a girl sees herself socially."

The fashion industry has an admirable history of supporting programs such as this, but as WWD noted earlier this week, the financial crisis has forced companies to curtail their charitable giving to a significant degree.

It's a crisis where social enterprise--and particularly ventures with an earned income component--can make a positive difference. The more we find ways to help women--and men--create an identity beyond mere necessity, the greater the potential for widescale social change.

Update: After I posted this, Jezebel also featured the Cinderella Project story in a post well worth reading.

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