The Center for Faith + Work Los Angeles was delighted to host Fashion Theology author Robert Covolo and a handful of other industry professionals for Reimagining Work: Fashion in LA on September 9, 2020.

Through the event, Covolo and the accompanying panelists sought to cast a vision for the redemptive qualities and gospel overlaps with the fashion industry.

As noted in the short excerpt published below from his keynote lecture, there is a longing in the human heart to be noticed, attended to, and to be seen as containing beauty, depth, and a worthiness of engagement.

“We long to be works of art,” Covolo says, “and God says, ‘Of course you do! And in me, because of the work of my son, you can be that.’”

The Bible identifies this longing as central to the created order of humanity, which was created to be glorious, in the image of its creator (Gen. 1:27). In like manner, for those who have been united to Christ, they now bear the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

Ultimately, Covolo noted humanity longs “to be more” because it was made for glory and made to shine. This hits at the overlap with Christ, who came so this fundament instinct, which the industry of fashion reveals, might actually be a reality through His work on our behalf. This imbibes the work of fashion with a deeply theological and eschatological purpose.

“We can be creatures of glory someday,” Covolo says, “as a result of what he has done.”