The fashion industry is mobilizing its marketing machine to encourage Americans to vote in November's presidential election, and it's clear they need Kamala Harris to win.
Industry involvement within the race for the White House has increased since 2016, when US Vogue endorsed Hilary Clinton. That was that For the primary time In its 100-year history, the style bible had thrown its weight behind a presidential candidate.
In this 12 months's tight and polarized contest between Harris and former President Donald Trump, fashion designers and types are stepping up bolder and even louder to make sure the current vp becomes “47” – a numerical nickname for the forty seventh President of the United States. These policy interventions are significant because they show that the style industry is able to use its cultural influence to guide consumer behavior and advance social responsibility.
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At the beginning of New York Fashion Week in September, Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of US Vogue, said: led a march and rally in the town's Herald Square to encourage Americans to vote for his or her next president. The “unprecedented” The event was organized by Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).
Wintour was joined by greater than 1,000 people, including models, designers and influencers. Dressed alike in white T-shirts with the slogan “Fashion for our Future,” participants’ call for Americans to take part in the democratic process seemed neutral enough. The CFDA described the event as “non-partisan”.
The reality was completely different. Two months ago, Vogue had publicly supported Harris for president after Joe Biden suddenly withdrew from the race. The New York event was an try to drum up support for her campaign.
In case of doubt, Wintour was accompanied by the First Lady of the United States. Dr. Jill Biden wears one other slogan T-shirt spoke of her appreciation for Wintour: “No one has shaped this industry more than you… But you haven’t stopped there.” Now shape the world. The President and I value your advice and friendship.”
The influence of Wintour and US Vogue was evident a month later when the October 2024 digital issue of Vogue featured Kamala Harris in a photograph shoot with Annie Leibowitz. The Cover photo The Vice President’s title was clearly captioned: “The Candidate of Our Time.”
Designers for Democracy (and Harris)
The T-shirts worn by Wintour and Biden in Herald Square were designed by Zac Posen, chief creative officer of the Old Navy brand. Posen attended the New York rally alongside other fashion designers resembling Michael Kors and Tory Burch, in addition to current CFDA President Thom Browne.
Recognizing the facility of clothing to precise personal messages and political affiliations, Browne and Burch – together with at the least a dozen other well-known names in American fashion – collaborated with the Harris campaign team to provide a spread of clothes Choice-themed clothingwho call themselves “designers for democracy”.
In the red, white and blue of the American flag, scarves, tops, totes and hats have turn out to be canvases for campaign slogans that mix upholding democracy, women's reproductive rights and the environment with a vote for Harris: “History is Watching,” “Democracy – Women’s Rights – Climate” and “We’re not going back”. The Designers For Democracy initiative continues the collaborative efforts of designers who produced goods in support of Biden's 2020 presidential campaign.
UPI/Alamy
Some industry brands are taking their very own steps to encourage people to vote for Harris. Beauty brand Glossier has collaborated with The New York Times to launch a series of digital, print and billboards. It uses a cropped photo of an unclothed white woman's torso to encourage Americans to accomplish that “Vote for you”. The slogan is a nod to the brand's You fragrance collection. However, the campaign isn’t any laughing matter. It is meant to make a sober statement. The picture has one other caption: “Vote for your daughter's future, vote for your grandmother's legacy.”
Both statements are thinly veiled criticism of Donald Trump's position on women's reproductive rights. The US Supreme Court will make a call in June 2022 overthrew Roe vs. Wadea landmark 1973 Court ruling that established abortion as a constitutional right for girls throughout the United States. The decision to repeal this law got here during Joe Biden's presidency, but three conservative judges were appointed by Trump, who was president between 2016 and 2020 accused of supporting this controversial step.
In discussing its campaign, Glossier, a women-owned company, said it felt “compelled to go a step further than our previous efforts to know what's going on.” [this year’s] Vote.” In a strategic move, Glossier's billboards appear in seven key swing states where polls show Harris is struggling to distinguish herself from her Republican rival.
Shaping a brand new political future
The fashion industry's intervention on this 12 months's presidential contest is critical since it shows that brands, designers and editors are increasingly willing to make use of their industrial and cultural influence to spread narratives that demand social change.
Bold campaigns that remind people of their obligations to past, present and future generations suggest that the style industry recognizes consumers' concerns concerning the state of the world. In response to increasing political polarization and decreasing social cooperation inside and outdoors the US, people want fashion brands to do that show more responsibility and authenticity.
CFDA
In some cases, political intervention from the style industry might be expected. Brands and designers used their platforms for criticism Trump and his policies during his presidency. There are also concerns that a second Trump term would negatively impact the style industry through higher tariffs, labor deregulation, etc Review of sustainability initiatives.
The fashion industry's motives usually are not entirely altruistic – and we ought to be careful about how and by whom its influence is exerted. Still, these initiatives suggest that we will take some comfort. Whoever becomes America's next president, the style industry appears to have realized that the pursuit of commerce might be balanced with the demands of 1's own conscience.
image credit : theconversation.com