FASHION CO-EDITOR ELISE DIXON
Fashion
& POLITICS ANONYMOUS
Fashion is a great tool in our day and age to promote political movements and inspiring action within society. From clothing that has cultural inspiration which displays culture in their most beautiful light. For generations, some cultures have been demonised, therefore, to have emerging designers who come from these demonised cultures to create beautiful art, to express its uniqueness and celebrate the culture. Through inspiring movements and embracing cultures, it inspires younger generations to embrace their history rather than hide away from it. Movements and action come around when people stand up, especially those with a big platform. When things are considered “controversial” is usually when change is most needed. The first ever black designed collection at Couture Fashion Week 2021, designed by Kerby Jean Raymond, his collection was inspired by inventions created by
black inventors bringing light to history that has been hidden in the shadows for generations due to oppression. Fashion pieces inspired by Garrett Morgan, Oscar E. Brown, and George Washington Carver’s inventions as well as pieces inspired by black culture. This fashion runway explores black history and its erasure of it. Political fashion runways are important as they spark conversations and address biases and institutional racism, homophobia, misogyny, and all other discrimination. Without these conversations, discrimination continues, and discrimination tends to thrive when the population is silent, and people don’t hold others accountable. Whilst at first thought you would not think fashion is important for political movements, it sparks conversations about topics that may not be able to be expressed as easily or show the pain of a group of people who have been discriminated against for generations.
31 • FASH I ON • MY LIFE
