Gucci hires head of diversity in the wake of criticism

Gucci has officially appointed Renee Tirado as the new leader of the diversity, equity, and inclusion division.

The move comes after Chanel and Burberry both filled similar positions recently. The Italian fashion brand's decision to do so was also fueled by the culturally insensitive and racist products such as blackface sweaters and Indy full turban (resembling a Sikh headdress) that debuted at Milan Fashion Week in February. The brand faced backlash and they were pulled from stores.

As Gucci's head of diversity and inclusion, Tirado will create, develop, and implement a global strategy to not only help make its workplace more inclusive but also it's business initiatives as well. She will also lead several programs that focus on diversity, such as the company's Cultural Awareness Learning Program, Global Multicultural Design Fellowship Program, and the Internal Global Exchange Program.

Prior to Gucci Tirado worked for Major League Baseball and served as its chief diversity and inclusion officer. She also held similar positions at global finance and insurance corporation AIG and the United States Tennis Association.

'I am in the business of making human connections that start with the foundations of inclusivity, respect, and diversity to ensure Gucci remains culturally relevant and economically competitive,' Tirado said in a personal statement. 'I am honored to join a company that puts these non-negotiable values at the forefront of their business model, not as 'a nice to have' but as a key component of its business strategy.'

'Since 2015, [Gucci creative director] Alessandro [Michele] and I have worked to put culture - self-expression and inclusivity - at the center of what we do,' Gucci president and CEO Marco Bizzarri said in a press release. 'This appointment is a fundamental building block to further our commitment and support the initiatives already in place. As a learning organization, we have challenged ourselves over the last few months to accelerate our vision to develop a strong organization. I am confident that Renee will help us create the meaningful change we want to see not only in our company but in the fashion industry...Renee believes that diversity and equity should be a daily way of being.'

For Gucci, the appointment of Tirado is not the only step that it has been taking to improve its brand. In March the fashion house launched their Global Changemakers Program a long-term plan to encourage cultural diversity and unity with three different sectors dedicated to support industry change and to foster unity through community action.

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