Fashion In Numbers

21

The age of Thomas Burberry when he found the eponymous brand in 1856 to protect the British public against the ravages of British weather.

41

The age of Vera Wang when she started her fashion label. Before that, she was a figure skater, fashion editor, and design director at Ralph Lauren.

10th

The century in which high heels first made their appearance — on Persian men. The heels helped keep their feet in the stirrups while on horseback.

 1926

The year Coco Chanel’s “little black dress” came along. It was likened to the Ford Model T (which came any colour as long as it was black) for its affordability and simplicity.

73

The percentage of fashion designers who are women. (They are still paid less than their male counterparts.)

240

The average number of hours it takes Nigerian artisans to create an Ankara print for a piece by designer Lisa Folawiyo.

2013

The year Ethiopian model Liya Kebede was awarded the Global Leadership Award from the UN Foundation. Her non-profit is dedicated to reducing maternal and newborn mortality rates both in Ethiopia and globally.

1894

The year live chameleons became a fashion trend in New York — you could buy them in stores and “wear” them on scarfs and bodices. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals soon put a stop to it.

1970s

The decade actual “fashion police” patrolled the streets of South Korea, measuring the length of women’s skirts and dresses — anything deemed too short could see the wearer fined or even jailed.

530

The estimated number of people killed in 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini. She died in the custody of Iran’s morality police after being arrested for wearing a loose hijab (headscarf).