Emma Watson and I have more in common than just our fashion icon, “Mommy” Coco Chanel – we know that ‘feminism’ isn’t a swear word, rather it’s misunderstood. Recently, the political world has seen a lot of promise on the issue but much less progress. This disillusionment about the female’s role in a patriarchal society extends down even into fashion.

The industry is one dominated by females, yet there is a disconnect between empowerment and exploitation. It’s easy to blame fashion for forcing scantily clad young girls onto the catwalk and photoshopping even the thinnest model on the cover of magazines. We justify it as being “edgy” even though it perpetuates a male exploitation of the female form.

Coinciding with the portrayal of women in fashion, there should be more women on the executive level of large fashion conglomerates. The roadblock is the never-ending debate over equal pay, which affects women disproportionately.

Instead of focusing on the past wrongdoings of fashion’s crawl toward female empowerment, we should be building a world where all women (and felines alike) have the opportunity to receive an equal education, opportunities, and careers. I’m calling for a restructuring on how the fashion industry – and the world – addresses youth, beauty, sexuality, and career-driven women.

Find out how Chanel is standing up for feminism.

Become part of the debate and share your opinions with moi, @ChoupettesDiary, using #Fashion4Feminism.