Brandy Melville is a name that almost everyone recognizes. It is well known for representing the latest teen/young adult fashion trends for women. However, Brandy Melville showcases absolutely NO racial or ethnic diversity. The United States is a melting pot, where people from all over the world have come together.  It is now in our hands to address this issue and for us to demand a change. We cannot bring beautiful women down because of Brandy's ideal and unrealistic standard of beauty. Below is an email I have written to Brandy regarding the lack of diversity. They have not responded and will most probably not.

Dear Brandy Melville,

      I doubt I will receive a response or any care in relation to this email, but I am a 17 year old female and I would like to address a few issues relating to your brand. As our country is currently going through a second civil rights movement, it is important that all races and backgrounds are treated fairly and respectfully. I decided to view your Instagram page, @brandymelvilleusa, to see your representation and support of the colored community. 

      I scrolled until July 2, 2012, because I realized it was pointless scrolling any further. Out of 8,181 posts, I saw that only 249 posts included obvious representation of people of color.  Out of the 249 posts of POCs, I noted that only 33 of these posts included women of East Asian descent. In these 33 posts, I also noticed that you have only three constant models: @lilychee, @babymeia, and @ibabeeeiris. The rest of the POC posts included African American women, and I only noticed five prevalent models: @corylovesyou, @alanabeale, @ashley_moore_, @bellabharris, and @autumnhenry. The dates March 16, 2016 - November 21, 2017 is when your Instagram page had the most representation; however, what happened Brandy Melville?

      As of today, June 5th, 2020, to January 1st, 2019, there are only THIRTEEN posts that include POCs. According to www.census.gov in 2019, 23.5% of the United States of America is made up of minorities and this number is only increasing. Another thing I would like to mention: where are the South Asians?

      In your entire feed, I have not found ONE South Asian model! As a South Asian myself, I have experienced discrimination multiple times in my life, even in my home country. I am from South India, and South Indians are often represented as "ugly, poor, and gross" just because our skin is darker. We are discriminated against by people of North India because they have lighter skin, which in their head means they are prettier and richer. This is the same issue in the United States with Brandy Melville. Your brand hires mainly only Caucasian girls to model clothes because that is what you believe as pretty and desirable.

     Growing up as a South Indian in an area with little to no Indians, I always felt ugly. I would do body and face masks to try to lighten my skin as an 8 year old. I thought that I would be pretty if I was a white girl. I hated that I was a dark, dirty Indian. As I grew up, I learned to accept my skin and love my melanin. However, I know I am not the only girl to face this struggle. By only representing Caucasian females, your brand is only feeding into the feeling I once felt while growing up. Our world is changing and we need full diversity and representations of all races. Not only does my ethnicity need to be represented by Brandy Melville, but so do girls of African, East Asian, Middle Eastern, Pacfic Islander, Native American, and Latinx backgrounds. 

     The United States would not be where it is without these beautiful ethnicities and races. Although I doubt I will receive a response to this email, I would be more than happy to help in creating Brandy Melville to be a more diversely represented brand. I'm sure recently your brand has received a handful of backlash because of the lack of POC; I can tell just by reading the comment sections of posts. 

Because of the outrage Brandy Melville has brought to me, I will not be purchasing any items affiliated with your company until a resolution to represent more backgrounds arises, nor will I support or market Brandy Melville.

      If this email was received and read, I would like to thank you for your time and patience to listen to my thoughts.

Sincerely,

Shreya