HOW THREE DESIGNERS LEVERAGED HAUTE COUTURE TO LEAN IN TO SOCIAL ISSUES

FELICIA NOEL, AKA FE NOEL

In the world of fashion, a “statement piece” is an article of apparel meant to help the wearer stand out and express their unique personality and style.

To that end, some fashion designers are leveraging their craft to create head-turning pieces to convey a deeper message. Meet three cross-cultural designers who are redefining the statement piece.

First-generation GrenadianAmerican fashion designer Fe Noel wants women to express their full, multifaceted, colorful selves. Combining the vibrancy of the Caribbean with the glamour of New York, Noel creates show-stopping pieces designed for jet-setting women with style.

In 2023, Noel, who holds a degree in finance, partnered with financial services firm TIAA and the Martin Agency to create The Dre$$, shown on the opening night of New York Fashion Week. This couture robe was stitched with US$1.6 million of artificial money, to highlight the potential gap in retirement savings due to gender-based wage gaps, unequal share of caretaking responsibilities and lack of financial education.

The campaign, #retireinequality, makes a powerful statement. It was part of a series of TIAA marketing not just make women feel beautiful, but also feel powerful. I want it to be life-changing for them. If we have retirement inequality, it’s hard for us to do that. We’re serious about making this statement and we’re making it in fashion. We’re serious about closing the gap,” says Noel.

In the world of fashion, a “statement piece” is an article of apparel meant to help the wearer stand out and express their unique personality and style.

In June 2023, Noel celebrated her fashion label’s 10-year anniversary by opening the doors to her Brooklyn-based boutique: Fe Noel Little Carribean. The boutique is situated in the very neighborhood where she grew up, which is home to the “largest and most diverse CaribeanAmerican-LatinX community outside of the West Indies.” campaigns featuring high-profile women leaders across various disciplines to highlight the problem of gender-based retirement inequality. Women, on average, retire with 30% less income than men.

In a video featured on the campaign’s website, Noel says, “Being a fashion designer for me was always more than making really beautiful clothes. It’s also the story I’m telling. I wanted to