The World of Fashion and Voting Collide
With the 2020 presidential election nearing, various fashion brands and designers are working hard to encourage their customers to vote. Some teaming up with organizations such as “Rock the vote, I am a voter, who help customers complete the registration process to vote. Others have taken the route of designing limited edition pieces all inspired by the election, with the majority of the proceeds going towards various organizations. Banana Republic for example took the role of releasing face masks with the words “vote for a better republic” as part of their voter registration initiative. Teaming up with “Rock the Vote” to share voter educational tools in preparation for the election. With the mask coming to a retail price of $15 every $5 of each sale going back to the organization.
As the trend begins to sweep the streets, political figures ranging from actors to activists such as Cynthia Nixon and Hiliary Clinton have been photographed wearing “vote” face masks. While music breakout star Lizzie designed her own “vote” mask paired with sunglasses in collaboration with the brand “Quay” are all methods used in hope of reaching out to millennials and generation Z voters in particular, seeing such high profile figures in Hollywood creating a conversation about the topic can usher them to the polls. Michelle Obama’s non-profit organization “When We All Vote” played a major role in the popularization of the Vote fashion. Being able to adopt the cadences of the street wear industry by launching limited edition merchandise in drops to sell baseball caps, joggers, and even a vote theme vegan lipstick.
The fashion of 2020 is all about giving one the ability to amplify their voice by providing tools for people to have the opportunity to speak about issues that matter, to educate, participate, and meet each other with a compromise. As designers use their craft to express themselves through their clothing alongside collaborating with influencers the combination of their platforms creates an effective change as it brings awareness that the upcoming election will have a long lasting generational repercussion. With the combination of creativity and political awareness we might witness a change in our current American political landscape.
Some may ask why voting in this election is particularly important for the fashion industry, with the majority of the industry being made up of women, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, people of color, and various other groups whose fundamental rights are on the line. Voting is always important but more than ever we must defend our rights for all Americans and restore the decency to the presidency.
But some may consider this a marketing moment, but there is real money, and risk involved. It is not just the slogans, the items of protest past, this is just companies urging consumers to use their 15th amendment right to vote or model civic behavior by giving their employees a slot time to vote. This is a refusal to the proposition that political fashion is for marching on the barricades on your own time, but instead this is a call for a new one. Clothes are seen as overt expressions of values to be worn at all times anywhere. We are currently living in a different time where we cannot sit and wait but call for action.
By: Nathalia Lampkin
Instagram: @nathalia_lampkin