Fashion activism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fashion activism is the practice of using fashion as a medium for social and environmental change. The term was coined by Céline Semaan, co-founder of the Slow Factory Foundation. As with other forms of activism, the aim is to promote, impede, direct, or intervene into social arrangements of dress to lay claim to a certain political agenda as well as influence systemic change within the fashion industry. It merges popular styles of dress, from clothing and shoes, to headwear and accessories, with efforts to implement social and political change beyond the designated channels of influence offered by the local political system, such as voting. Fashion activism can be used as a form of protest, whether expressing dissent or support.

The field of fashion activism spans practices across the boundaries of fashion commodities and the fashion system, to activate members of the public to take action in contested issues. That is, the activism includes awareness raising and civic mobilization, as well as behavior change and pushes for systemic impact.[1][2][3]

Examples of everyday fashion activism[]

Fashion activism can take place on catwalks and in art galleries, but the use of the term connotes garments donned in everyday life. Everyday examples of fashion activism in Western societies range from apparel with peace sign symbols that were popularized in the late 20th century,[4] the use of military dress as anti-war activism amongst the hippies in the 1960s, the 'Make America Great Again' hats sported by Donald Trump supporters throughout and following the 2016 presidential campaign,[5] and the controversial use of Hawaii shirts amongst proponents of the "Boogaloo" movement.[6]

Slow factory[]

Beyond the use amongst designers promoting sustainability and user engagement, the term has also more recently been coined by designer Céline Semaan in her work with the NYC-based fashion lab Slow Factory.[7] In this context, items in her collections have been used as means of fashion activism; a 'Dignity Key' necklace with which people can show support for displaced Middle Eastern refugees, a 'Banned' scarf showing the universal impact of President Trump's Muslim ban, and a '1st Amendment Flight Jacket' collaboration with ACLU, featuring the First Amendment text is written in Arabic, standing up to the rise in islamophobia in the United States and hate crimes against American Muslims.[8]

Fashion Design Items That Influenced Socio-Political Events[]

Bloomers[]

The Bloomers, a garment suggesting unrestricted movement as opposed to the constructed figures of the Victorian age, were made popular by women's rights activists in the 1850s. They suggested a comfortable alternative to the constricting dresses worn by Western women at the time. Taking their name from their best-known advocate, the women's rights activist Amelia Bloomer, they also came to symbolize the wider suffragette movement and dress reform.[9]

The Mini Skirt[]

The mini skirt made its debut in 1964 and quickly became a bastion of youth culture and defiance.[10] Mary Quant, the London-based designer responsible for the skirt, sought to reflect an era that was “arrogant, aggressive, and sexy.”[11] Accordingly, the mini skirt was a popular choice for independent and progressive women in the 1960s. During the violent protests and events of May 1968 in France, the mini skirt became a symbol of female revolution and defiance. Andre Courrèges popularized the hemline in France. While the nostalgia of the 1970s saw a return to more conventional hemlines, the mini skirt persists as a symbol of women’s rights and sexual liberation to this day.

The Slogan T-Shirt[]

The slogan T-shirt has been favored by activists since its inception. Fueled by the DIY ethos of the punk era, Vivienne Westwood’s subversive t-shirt designs brought the slogan aesthetic into the mainstream in the 1970s. In 1979, designer Katharine Hamnett launched a label and line of shirts driven by the concept of ‘right livelihood;’ the shirt slogans were based on the central messages of Buddhism. The T-shirts were “designed to be seminal, to make people think, and then hopefully act,” Hamnett said in an interview.[12] In recent years, slogan tees have become a staple in popular culture, from runways to stadiums. British designer Daniel W. Fletcher organized an anti-Brexit sit-in with protesters wearing “stay” shirts and hoodies. Many prominent designers and labels such as Dior, Public School, Everlane, and Slow Factory have produced slogans supporting women’s rights, gay rights, immigrants, refugees, and conservation efforts.

The Keffiyeh[]

The Keffiyeh is a traditional black and white scarf worn around the head or neck. According to design critic Hala Malak, the Keffiyeh dates back to pre-Islamic Sumer. High priests would wear turbans and fishing nets when praying for prosperous fishing seasons; the integration of these two textiles eventually led to the classic fishnet pattern the Keffiyeh is known for. Following the 1936 Arab Revolt, the Keffiyeh became a symbol of political uprising and rebellion. It was not until the rise of Arafat in the 1960s that the scarf came to symbolize Palestinian solidarity. The scarf has appeared among many leftist groups and anti-war organizations. The scarf was appropriated as a fashion accessory in a 2007 Balenciaga show. The Keffiyeh is a fashion staple in the west, although few are aware of its rich political history.[13] Today, the Kaflab Foundation works with artists and designers to explore and destigmatize Arab heritage and identity through the Keffiyeh.

Serpican Naro[]

Serpica Naro was an activist brand set up by Milan-based chain-worker activists in 2005.[14] Its mission was to infiltrate the Milan Fashion Week to stage a protest over labor conditions in the fashion industry. By setting up a brand, utilizing made-up Japanese street credibility, the activists managed to convince the organizers of the fashion week the brand was legit and got a show booked on the official schedule. On the catwalk, the activists used garments to perform critiques of the working conditions across the fashion economy.[15]

See also[]

[16] [17] [18] [19] [20]

References[]

  1. ^ Fletcher, Kate, (1971- ...)., Auteur. (2014). Sustainable fashion and textiles design journeys. Earthscan from Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-64456-3. OCLC 879311916.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ von Busch, Otto (2008). Fashion-able: Hacktivism and engaged fashion design. Gothenburg: University of Gothenburg.
  3. ^ Fuad-Luke, Alastair (2013-06-17). Design Activism. doi:10.4324/9781849770941. ISBN 9781849770941.
  4. ^ Raudenbush, Rachel. "Peace in Our Time: The Peace Sign as a Fashion Icon" (PDF). Drexel University. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  5. ^ Givhan, Robin. "The MAGA hat is not a statement of policy. It's an inflammatory declaration of identity". Washington Post. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  6. ^ Pemberton, Nathan Taylor (2020-06-29). "What Do You Do When Extremism Comes for the Hawaiian Shirt?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  7. ^ Farra, Emily. ""Fashion Creates Culture, and Culture Creates Action": Céline Semaan on the Industry's Role in Times of Crisis". Vogue. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  8. ^ Semaan, Celine. "This Fashion Collection Is a Direct Shot at Donald Trump's Muslim Ban". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  9. ^ Kat, Jungnickel. Bikes and bloomers : Victorian women inventors and their extraordinary cycle wear. ISBN 978-1-906897-75-8. OCLC 1082426799.
  10. ^ Bourne, L. (2014, September 22). A History of the Miniskirt: How Fashion’s Most Daring Hemline Came To Be. Retrieved July 14, 2017, from http://stylecaster.com/history-of-the-miniskirt/
  11. ^ Parks, C. (2015, March 23). The Miniskirt: An Evolution From The '60s To Now. Retrieved July 14, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/23/mini-skirt-evolution_n_6894040.html
  12. ^ Interview with Ethical Designer Katharine Hamnett. (2013, November 21). Retrieved July 14, 2017, from http://www.thefashionspot.com/runway-news/351665-katharine-hamnett-interview/
  13. ^ Kim, K. (2007, February 10). Where Some See Fashion, Others See Politics. Retrieved July 14, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/fashion/shows/11KAFFIYEH.html
  14. ^ "Serpica's Story | Serpica Naro" (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  15. ^ Silvia Gherardi & Annalisa Murgia (2013). ""Staging precariousness: The Serpica Naro catwalk during the Milan Fashion Week"". Culture and Organization. 21.
  16. ^ Safronova, Valeriya (5 April 2017). "Refugee Designer Shines a Light on Global Issues". The New York Times. The New York Times. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  17. ^ "We're at Slow Factory, a fashion-activism company in Brooklyn.."". The New York Times. The New York Times Style. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  18. ^ Semaan, Céline. "Slow Factory's Collection Is a Direct Shot at Donald Trump's Muslim Ban". Teen Vogue. Teen Vogue. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  19. ^ Colon, Ana. "The Powerful Message Behind These "Banned" Scarves". Refinery 29. Refinery 29. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  20. ^ Puhala, Kate. "NASA Satellite Images Take These Scarves to Infinity… and Beyond!". Brit + Co. Brit + Co. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
Retrieved from ""