New York Fashion Week wasn’t just about clothes this year ― it was also about the message.
This February, designers finally began making some bold moves toward inclusivity and diversity. But other shows also became political acts of resistance, like when LSR sent models down the runway in clothes denouncing President Trump’s Muslim travel ban and proposed wall between Mexico and the U.S. Or when designers and models wore white bandanas to signal they were part of the opposition, and pink Planned Parenthood pins to show their support.
No matter the action, however big or small, the fashion world made it clear it won’t tolerate the intolerance found in the current political climate.
1. “F**k Your Wall” clothing.
Mexican-born designer Raul Solis had a clear-cut message for Donald Trump in his LSR NYFW show. He printed “No Ban, No Wall” and “F**k Your Wall” on models’ underwear. Solis told Dazed Digital he opposed Trump’s wall because the designer’s family is “first generation Mexican and some had to migrate to the U.S., [so] this issue is something extremely personal to me.”
2. Trolling Trump with his signature slogan.
Public School New York put a fun spin on Donald Trump’s campaign hat and made it their own. They put the slogan on a cropped sweatshirt and hats for the show.
3. White bandanas for solidarity, unity and inclusiveness.
The news site Business of Fashion started the bandana movement to show solidarity during a time of turmoil. Designers like Tommy Hilfiger, Prabal Gurung, Tommy Hilfiger, Thakoon, Phillip Lim, and Diane von Furstenberg either incorporated the bandanas into their shows or simply wore them.
4. “This Is Not America” music.
Raf Simons’ Calvin Klein debut included a mix of David Bowie’s 1985 song, “This Is Not America.” Attendees were also given white bandanas to wear before the show started.
5. Fashion’s Planned Parenthood stance.
Thanks to a partnership between the CFDA and Planned Parenthood, over 40 designers joined forces to include PP pins at their shows. The pins were also given out to PR people, modeling agencies, influencers and press throughout NYFW, along with a pamphlet outlining all the services Planned Parenthood offers.
The HuffPost Lifestyle newsletter will make you happier and healthier, one email at a time. Sign up here.
Before You Go
