Hijabs, berets and pussy hats: How should politics be presented on the runway?

Fashion and politics have always had a rather tumultuous relationship. Think back to a few years ago when Karl Lagerfeld co-opted feminism, creating a women-only protest on Chanel’s SS15 runway that was slammed for its superficiality. Strangely enough, a similar scene was recreated all over the world with the Women’s Marches in January (albeit with much less tweed).

Since Donald Trump’s election, designers in all four fashion capitals have jumped on the political bandwagon. This isn’t to say that their collections weren’t well-intentioned but some seem more about potential dollar signs than sending a hard-hitting message.

So-called T-shirt activism was plastered across tons of AW17 collections. ‘The future is female’, ‘unity’ and ‘love sees no colour’ shouted Prabal Gurung, Versace and Ashish respectively. Each slogan tee spoke directly to President Trump and his regressive attitudes whether through a simple bold typeface or a sequin-infused rainbow print.

While Ashish Gupta’s politically charged collection brought all minority groups together with a specific focus on the LGBTQ community, Donatella Versace centred on women. “This is a collection about the power of women, and women who know how to use their power. It is a call for unity, and the strength that comes from positivity and hope,” she said backstage.

Dior, meanwhile, carried on its feminism theme, swapping the white ‘we should all be feminists’ tees for black leather berets; a global symbol of protest most famously worn by militant group Black Panthers and Rihanna on the front row. Going back to those t-shirts that kickstarted a new era for the house of Dior, many were concerned that the £490 designs were simply using the struggles of women as a way of increasing profits.

However, Maria Grazia Chiuri proved us wrong by announcing that a percentage of the proceeds will be going to Dior ambassador Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation. Similarly, New York-based designer Prabal Gurung said some of the profits from his empowering tees will go straight to Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.

While a few big-name brands are donating profits to organisations affected by Trump’s administration, others are reigning in the cash themselves. Obviously, smaller brands cannot afford to give a large amount away to charity – fashion is a business, after all – but a small donation is better than none.

Public School is another New York-based brand that took on Trump. Parodying the President’s campaign slogan, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne sent out red baseball caps stating ‘Make America New York.’ It was a “commentary about nationalism, isolationism and xenophobia” but could also be called a commodification of a serious issue. Public School are well aware that lesser-priced accessories are sure to sell out – especially when a large number of people agree with the message or simply want to appear woke. (The designers have announced that all proceeds will go to the ACLU but their similarly branded sweatshirts are a different matter.)

These kinds of bold slogans were obviously political but a few designers chose a much subtler form of protest. While Missoni opted for pink pussy hats in response to Trump’s infamous comment, white bandanas appeared at Tommy Hilfiger, Diane von Furstenberg, Prabal Gurung and Phillip Lim. For those not in the know, these accessories were kickstarted by The Business of Fashion under the hashtag #TiedTogether. A symbol of inclusivity, they proved to be the perfect political method for those who may be scared of alienating a portion of their customer base.

It’s difficult to criticise individuals for attempting to intertwine fashion and politics. Yet it’s easy to condemn those who completely ignored the current climate. Certain dreamy designers such as Alberta Ferretti kept their fantasyland going, churning out whimsical dresses that perhaps have no place in today’s society. “The show has to make women dream a little,” commented Ferretti. The question is: can we really turn the other way and dream when so many are being attacked for their race, religion, gender and sexuality?

If designers wish to abstain from political garments, a diverse model casting is a good alternative. Hijab-wearing model Halima Aden made her debut at Yeezy, later walking for Alberta Max Mara and Alberta Ferretti (something that saved the designer’s apolitical collection). Having a proud Muslim woman walking in your show is a clear defiance of Trump’s attempted Muslim Ban. So is choosing women who attended the various protests that hit the streets of New York as Gypsy Sport designer Rio Uribe did.

At the very least, an awareness of the wider world and the implications a fashion show can have are crucial. “I’m constantly thinking about what I could do on a bigger scale [about Donald Trump],” said Raf Simons. His first collection for Calvin Klein was a celebration of America filled with stars and stripes and true Wild West designs.

Johnny Talbot from Parisian up-and-comer Talbot Runhof agrees, telling Vogue: “If you have a platform to say something and you don’t, then shame on you.” His AW17 show closed with vibrant knits adorned with the likes of ‘persist’, ‘lie to me’ and Trump’s most-used Twitter phrase, ‘sad’.

Will this social activism be a one season wonder? With politics on the precipice of becoming a trend, don’t get your hopes up for anything more.

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