Fashion’s most iconic political statements As the date of the UK election draws nearer, politicians have turned their attention to fashion and pop culture in an attempt to wrest the youth vote. David Cameron has claimed Kardashian kinship, Nick Clegg has starred in an “Uptown Funk” election anthem, and the Labour Party has channelled Katharine Hamnett with their “Hell Yes” slogan tee. These recent antics come as no surprise – fashion and politics have long been linked. Last week we paid tribute to Dame Vivienne Westwood’s best protests, one of the great masters of using fashion as a vehicle for social commentary. AW95’s “Highland Rape” show by Alexander McQueen saw the iconic provocateur present one of the most controversial fashion collections of all time. The pioneer of the political slogan t-shirt, Katharine Hamnett’s bold words printed on oversized tees have been mouthpieces for some of the most topical issues of the past four decades.
Fashion brands struggling to find the right social influencers Social media influencers are fast becoming brands’ go-to option for generating trust and credibility among young consumers. According to a new report by Fashion and Beauty Monitor in association with Econsultancy – both sister brands of Marketing Week – 57% of marketers and business owners in the fashion and beauty sectors use influencers as part of their marketing strategy, with an additional 21% looking to introduce this type of activity over the next 12 months. The growing authority of online commentators and YouTube stars such as Zoella has given rise to this new breed of peer-to-peer brand ambassador. The fact that 41% of respondents have been collaborating with online content creators for three years or more, in what is considered a maturing space, also suggests fashion and beauty firms are ahead of the curve in their use of influencer marketing. “It’s important brands understand that influencers have the following they do because people trust them and their opinion,” she says.
Does Fashion Have a Place in Politics? Whilst some may argue that fashion and politics have no business being mentioned in the same sentence- I disagree. My interest in fashion from a young age stemmed from a fascination in clothing’s purpose beyond the practical. I’ve always been intrigued by the way personal style acts as a non-verbal rhetoric that we use to communicate who we are with each other. Psychologist have deduced that it takes us just 3 seconds to make a judgment about someone based on their appearance. Much like politics, fashion is paradoxically elitist whilst also being democratic. And whether you’re a front row fixture, or couldn’t give two hoots whether the seventies are making a resurgence for SS15; (FYI: they are) you probably consider what the outfit you pick to wear each day conveys to the world to some degree- be that donning a suit to look smart and professional for a job interview, or wearing a particular brand to signal your allegiance to a style tribe.
Watch Victoria Beckham talk through her SS17 collection on Facebook From the Archives: Political Powerhouses in Vogue As the U.S. team heads to Rio in pursuit of its sixth back-to-back gold, all eyes are on Elena Delle Donne. By the time their daughter was standing two heads above her fellow kindergartners, Elena Delle Donne’s parents knew she was an unusual child, and were not terribly surprised when, aged ten, Elena joined a basketball team and led it to place third in the national championships. Recently voted Most Valuable Player of the Women’s National Basketball Association, Elena is currently poised to lead the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team to collect its sixth consecutive gold in Rio. “She is a once-in-a generation type of player,” says NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum. In an unlikely twist for somebody with Marvel-comic physical gifts, Elena’s life has also been shaped by extreme physical disability. The two sisters are extraordinarily close, often literally so. After lunch, mother and daughter retreat to the Delle Donnes’ 35-acre, multi-home property.
Influencers Are People, Not Media Outlets | DigitalNext - AdAge Twelve years ago I started an influencer agency. I was told I was out of my mind. Leaving a lucrative on-camera position at MTV to move behind-the-scenes seemed mad to most. To me, it was the opportunity of a lifetime. It was abundantly clear that, in a rapidly splintering communications ecosystem, marketers were going to need to wield the power of alpha-consumers if they wanted their messages to resonate. Brands would no longer influence people, people would. It took about a decade, but influencer marketing has finally graduated to the big leagues -- endorsed from the CPG industry to automotive, from tremendous PR shops to historically digital agencies, from the streets to corporate boardrooms and everywhere in between. And this is bad for brands, consumers and influencers alike. Earlier this summer, two media and PR behemoths announced a new joint venture designed to ignite "global influencer and brand partnerships that are authentic, measurable and built for long-term engagement."
Why Brexit is good for the fashion industry | British GQ On the eve of the EU referendum in June during London Collections Men it wasn’t hard to gauge which direction the fashion pack was leaning. Unsurprisingly, thanks to factors such as the EU support of many of the initiatives of the British Fashion Council (BFF) and the fact that myriad young designers work with factories and suppliers from Lithuania to Lisbon, the community is an outward-looking and inclusive bunch. Indeed, during the campaign the BFC reported that of the near-500 designers it polled, 90 per cent planned to vote for Remain. Now the world has changed and in the face of a probable Brexit, whatever individual’s feelings may be the UK fashion industry has to start accentuating the positive. Astonishingly, the effects were almost instantaneous. E Tautz’s Patrick Grant is cautiously optimistic about sales, too. Harrods is obviously a key destination for visitors to London and so far things have been looking up.
Political Movements in Fashion Can fashion have a political conscience? The question is a recurring one, and the answers are all too often clichéd. Examples of the industry’s insensitivity and lack of sympathy (or knowledge) towards social and political realities surface regularly in the media, and stories about blackface editorials and articles praising the “beauty” and “philanthropy” of the wives of Middle East dictators make the movie Zoolander look like a realistic take on the fashion world. "In an ultra-connected world where news goes instantly global thanks to the Internet, it has become impossible for designers to ignore their political conscience" The political movement in fashion proved especially strong during the autumn/winter 2014 shows, as designers conveyed their activism through the catwalk. Through a surprisingly understated show, Rick Owens made an obscure comment on dominance and submission, on authority and its rejection. But do any of these questions have an answer? Text by Marta Represa
Fashion, Politics to Dedicate 2017 to Women - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT Haute Couture Autumn Winter 2016-17 by Lebanese international fashion designer Elie Saab. London-While all Parisians have transformed into political analysts talking about Brexit and its repercussions on lifestyle and fashion, fashion designers and the U.K. said that the coming years will be dedicated to women. Britain has made its decision and appointed a woman, “Theresa May,” as a prime minister for the first time since Thatcher. Fashion, on the other hand, celebrated femininity through romantic outfits shining with optimism, drifting away from a reality burdened by economic regression and terrorist attacks around the world. This season, Paris disregarded the worsening economic conditions and all the drama to introduced unique designs made of extravagant fabrics that would take you to wonderland. Inspired by the fifties, designers have gone above and beyond to meet the demands of today’s classic women. designer has also introduced party dresses for young girls. Related July 27, 2009