As the tents for New York Fashion Week pop up around New York City, so are protesters.
On Friday, September 6, 2024, First Lady Jill Biden, designers, editors, factory and retail workers, influencers, models, and students took to the streets of Manhattan to encourage Americans to register and vote. The march was put together by Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CDFA) alongside the nonprofit organization I Am a voter, which was at the protest registering voters. T-shirts were provided by Old Navy, which released a collection of apparel with the Fashion for Our Future movement.
The highlight of the event was Jill Biden’s speech. She told the story of when she first met her husband. As the daughter of Republicans, she almost didn’t vote for the young senator, but after a date with him, she was glad she did. The first lady also mentioned that Joe Biden only won his first senate race by 3,000 votes, reminding the crowd to “Vote! Vote early. Then help others do the same.”
A focal point in Jill Biden’s speech, and many of the other speeches, was fashion’s impact on society, including democracy.
Thom Browne told the Fashion Network, “Fashion is not what we wear but powerful voice and platform for what we stand for.”
Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor-in-chief, chose to represent this in her accessories during the protest, sporting a Thom Brown scarf created in association with the Harris-Walz campaign.
However, this is not the first time that Anna Wintour or Vogue in general have shown their support for Vice President Kamala Harris.
In late July 2024, shortly after Harris announced that she would be joining the presidential race after Biden’s withdrawal, Vogue released an article titled “Vogue endorses Kamala Harris for President” Since then, it has released countless articles in support of the candidate such as “Harris and Walz Cooked Up Something Special in Philadelphia. Jack Schlossberg Digs In” and “Actually, JD Vance, Kamala Harris Does Have Children–but That Shouldn’t Matter.” This is only the third time in history that Vogue has endorsed a presidential candidate, the second time it has been a woman.
Hillary Clinton was the very first Vogue-supported candidate, followed by Joe Biden in 2020. However, this time Vogue is making it clear they “will not go back.”
As usual, many designers are following Vogue’s influence. Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Thom Browne, Tommy Hilfiger, and Diane von Furstenberg were all participants in the march.
In designer Aurora James’ speech she stated, “We will not win unless the passion that brought us here to NYC becomes contagious and inspires others to vote.”
Many of the designers present at the march collaborated with the Harris-Walz campaign to make a line of merchandise. The 16 designers were Sergio Hudson, Thom Browne, Joseph Altuzarra, Ulla Johnson, Victor Glemaud (Schumacher), Willy Chavarria (Calvin Klein), Cleo Wade, Aurora James (Brother Vellies), Tory Burch, Brett Heyman (Edie Parker Designs), Gabriella Hearst (Chloé), Chloe Kristyn, Bettina Benson (Chloe Kristyn), Jonathan Cohen, Vera Wang, and Prabal Gurung.
Just like the rest of America, members of the fashion industry understand how important this coming election is to the future of the United States.
Before the march, Wintour told Vogue, “Voting strengthens our democracy and puts the power in the hands of the American people.”
While America is deeply divided, almost all of us can agree on our pride for our country. We hold a revolutionary democracy in the palm of our hands, the same hands that cast ballots and wave the American flag on the fourth of July. The same hands that put our clothes on in the morning. No matter the price tag on them, clothes connect us.
So, this November put on your best outfit, head to your local polls, and make a difference in this great nation.
