Party Dressing

Is a political stance the (not so) new black?

By Nora Zelevansky
Published: Apr 19, 2008

Rampant bad hair and Made In America suits notwithstanding, fashion and politics have long gone hand and hand. From Nancy Reagan’s crimson Adolfo Sardina suits to Jackie O’s Chanel and Oleg Cassini signatures to, yes, even Tucker Carlson’s (now abandoned) twerp-chic bowtie, for better or for worse, myriad iconic fashion statements were born on Capital Hill.

But, perhaps even more significantly, we the people have historically appropriated style as a means of expression, signaling political views and affiliations. From burning bras to donning Che Guevara t-shirts, fashion has consistently indicated allegiance, created outrage and embodied revolution. “Fashion is not born in a vacuum,” asserts Anne Bissonnette, Ph.D., Curator, Kent State University Museum, site of one of twentieth century America’s most famous upheavals. “It’s a movement.”

With the recent rush of political fervor and a youth-spurred trend against apathy, comes a new wave of conceptual message-driven style. And, as the Internet provides a grassroots forum, established fashion houses and independent designers alike are getting their word and product out, seizing the moment to make societal contributions (and a little bit of cash too). Politics is the (not so) new black.

In 2000, late 18th and early 19th century fashion expert, Anne Bissonnette, curated an exhibition commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Kent State riots (the death of four student activists protesting the bombing of Cambodia). She compared the French Revolution’s political fashion to 1970’s boundary-pushing styles. In both cases, a move towards casual clothing signaled a rejection of former conventions.

“The French Revolution was a movement of the population. In order to show allegiance, people had to wear clothing that wasn’t accepted by the aristocracy. Later, King Louis XVI was forced to acknowledge a new movement by wearing a red liberty bonnet,” she explains. “In the 1970’s, there was a sartorial revolution linked to politics, which started out in pop-culture, anti-Vietnam sentiment, rock bands, and a student movement and led to trends like caftans based on the Black Panther’s dashikis. Jeans, originally created because indigo wouldn’t fade and denim was tough, became part of a rock ‘n roll driven rebellion.”

While today’s skinny jean clad emo-core bands mostly seem bereft about their latest relationships, actually hugely successful rockers like The Bravery beg for, “Something to believe,” and Pink serenades “Dear Mr. President” with a scathing letter. Youth culture—and most everything else for that matter—reflects disenchantment again.

Susann Luca, co-designer for luxe hand-woven scarf line Leigh & Luca, personally experienced the power of political fashion before contributing her own statement. In Paris, unknowingly donning a trendy “kuffiyeh” scarf signaling Palestinian protest against Israeli control, a stranger approached her on the street and admonished her. “Living as Europeans in New York, we’re always confronted with politics,” she notes. “But that scarf was very upsetting to many Jewish people. For better or for worse, I realized the potential impact of fashion statements.”

Soon thereafter, Luca and Australian partner Gillian Leigh created their Dollar Scarf, bearing hand-embroidered money signs and army tanks, protesting enormous sums wasted on the Iraqi conflict and criticizing this war as a “money making machine” for a privileged few. As response was quite positive, Leigh & Luca’s second collection includes a camouflaged scarf with intermingled peace signs too. An eco-chic style, the proceeds of which will go to a green organization, follows shortly. “We both have young children, so we worry about the state of the planet and global warming,” Luca laments. “From flower power to the punk movement, it’s not new that fashion speaks. So, we’re going to continue to make political statements.”

Getting out the vote for the upcoming election is also a political priority (and a safe bi-partisan issue for fledgling designers wary of alienating customers). According to Jen Menchaca, creator of aptly named t-shirt line Nation Ltd, “Historically, politically minded people have often used the real estate on the front of cotton t-shirts for slogans and statements,” she muses. “I can leverage my logo and inspire people to go out and vote too!”

On a buttery heather gray shirt reminiscent of perfectly worn favorite tees, the text reads: “I Love My Nation. Vote!” ($35) On May 1, when the garment launches on her website, Menchaca will encourage shoppers to turn in photos of themselves in the tee, inventively incorporating highlights of their hometowns. Her goal is to inspire pride. “I have a lot of celebrities wearing my tees, but I want everyone to feel like they’re part of this movement,” she impassions. “If I can do a little something to support that effort, then great. This is a real call to action. It’s about learning to love our country again.”