Fashion may seem like an unexpected place to make a political statement, but this season has been anything but that.
It seems like the fashion community is getting together to make a statement:we will not allow our government to make destructive decisions without hearing from us.
Last week at New York Fashion Week, Christian Siriano debuted a shirt (all proceeds will go toward ACLU) that read "People are People" to spread an important message of diversity and unity.
Creatures of Comfort designer Jade Lai reminded us all that "We Are All Human Beings" with this blue top from her Fall 2017 collection and at Prabal Gurung, there were t-shirts bearing messages such as:
- "Revolution has no borders."
- "I am an immigrant."
- "Love is love."
- "Yes, we should all be feminists."
- "Girls just want to have fundamental rights."
- "We will not be silenced."
So it comes as no surprise that this week at Milan Fashion Week (MFW), the designers continued to both subtly and boldly address and speak about such troubling times.
For the most part of MFW however, things have been quiet regarding the electrically charged political climate, but Angela Missoni changed that all. Acknowledging the Women's March that took place in January, each seat in the audience had a pink knit pussy hat that has become a symbol of women's rights activists around the country, and the last three looks of the show featured white, multi-colored fuzzy sweaters with a pink triangle, a pink Venus gender symbol (for women) and two red hearts across the chest.
The models themselves also donned the pink pussy hat, as well as Missoni herself, and everyone backstage, including the stylists and makeup artists.
And at the end of the show, Missoni came out (as is customary for a designer to do so), and instead of taking a bow or walking the whole length of the runway, she spoke into a microphone to remind us all of one thing:
"There is a bond between us that will keep us strong and safe. The bond that unites all those who respect human rights."
At that, she invited the models to join her on stage in a show of unity to let the world know that "the fashion community is united and fearless."
It's moments like these that remind us that fashion isn't useless at all. Fashion is powerful and not "just clothes." It's expression, creativity and at times like these, an unashamed and declarative statement.