fashion designers use activism for business only

Do fashion designers use activism for business only?

The world of fashion is usually treated with frivolity. Its influence and boldness are often ignored as being irrelevant. Many even assume that style and intellect can’t go hand in hand. But the worlds of glamour and politics have always had an uncanny association. But now, more than ever, the industry understands that it can’t reap one sided benefits; it holds a degree of responsibility towards its consumers and the society at large.

The past few seasons in fashion with bold comments on the tumultuous socio-political scenario around the world, like the American Presidential elections, Brexit, etc. have proved that it is time to accept that the industry and the designers do more than just clothe us.

Archuna Thakur, a fashion designer based in New Delhi says, "Industry veterans like Rei Kawakubo, Yves Saint Laurent, and Manish Arora have long been admired for their boldness and innovation. But it is the new crop of designers, who are creating with a conscience." Lately, the fashion scene around the world is seeing a rise in the number of conscious designers who aim to designs attractive and responsible clothing, for which they have garnered praise and criticism, alike.

Prabal Gurung, a Nepali-American fashion designer, who has clothed the likes of Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, created shirts with bold sayings like, “The Future Is Female”, “I am An Immigrant”, “Revolution Has No Borders”, etc. He featured models of varied ethnicities and races and made sure that all body types and sizes had equal representation on his runway.

His collection was admired for bravely and creatively using this platform to touch upon issues of feminism, racism and inclusiveness. However, the cherry on top was, of course, Gurung himself, making his way on to the runway, wearing a shirt that said, “This Is What a Feminist Looks Like”.

Delhi-born, London-based fashion designer Ashish Gupta is famous for the way he blends elements of his native culture with the changing face of contemporary fashion. Recently, at his show at the London Fashion Week, he showcased a collection which seemed to be squarely targeting US President, Donald Trump and his policies. His collection seemed to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, women and racial differences. Ashish has always been known for his subtle symbolism and extravagance, but last season, this took a whole new meaning.

These designers are, however, not practising this activism in isolation. The fashion website, Business of Fashion, created the hashtag #TiedTogether, to promote the principles of inclusivity and acceptance, and to support to organisation like American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the UN Refugee Agency. The fashion industry is celebrating the hashtag and all that it stands for by means of a white bandana. In past few months, the white bandana has become a style statement and the fashion industry’s answer to intolerance and hatred. Prabal Gurung, Gigi Hadid, and Diane Von Furstenberg have proudly sported the same.