Politics of Fashion

Social media has a profound influence on every aspect of an individual’s life. It shapes their mind, lifestyle, taste, and even hobbies. It affects their sleeping cycle, health, and even their brain. It’s no secret that social networks are powerful tools. Could we think of something more powerful and effective over a person’s life than the internet?

Obviously, the options may differ, and everyone can have a guess. However, the one and only right option would be politics. Its power comes from its ability to weaponize everything. It does not matter which side they stand on; it does not matter how politicians represent themselves. Good or bad, they impact everything.

In a system built like this, can we argue that one specific area achieves to be politics-free? Lately, with the rise of political discussions on the internet, many people have become bored with the topic and started searching for a free zone from negativity. Yet, like everything else on social media platforms, this request brought chaos among the users.

Books are not political. Entertainment is not political. Fashion is not political. These and more claims like these emerged suddenly. One specific occasion should only focus on human entertainment to distract them from reality. The thing is, politics is involved even in your daydreams.

Woke. Unwoke. That is the question.

From the perspective of fashion, it always determines qualities like someone’s age, job, gender, ethnicity, etc., as a first impression, so it was always a vital tool for humans to dress nicely. As a result, fashion has become the most complex and basic tool for people. In essence, to claim that fashion is not politics is a misconception. The politics of fashion have varied throughout history, and today, fashion is used in different ways to convey its political perspective.

Fashion’s revolutionary side is something that has been going on for thousands of years. From ancient Egypt to today, fashion is the strongest instrument in revolutions. 

Why and How Fashion is Political?

But how and why is fashion political? Yes, everyone knows fashion has a history, and yes, everyone is aware it’s something useful. The question is, how? The most basic parts of fashion, like color, fabric, stitches, etc., represent something. In our unconsciousness, the color blue represents the sea, relaxation, the beach, and so on. So, yes. The Queen wearing a different color while visiting your country is related to why the egg you eat every morning is expensive. Or the ignorant politician visiting a country with inappropriate clothing based on the culture is the reason why gas prices went up. Additionally, these are the smallest impacts one can think of. Because how you dress is the symbol of what you’re thinking. In most cases, it’s the representation of who you are.

Why and how fashion is political based on the illustration's colors.

Political Statements of Fashion

In the Victorian period, it represented women’s place in the household, distinguishing the working class from the upper class. In colonial discourse, it was a way to enslave and criminalize minorities. Professor Lynch said in an interview: “It presents [individuals] in the context of a colonial gaze which doesn’t allow for self-representation or diverse ways of being.”

In the USA, in the 1950s, it was the best tool to oppress women and demonize feminism. Fashion is always intertwined with femininity and is always used as a tool to control the female population.

Thus, one should not always interpret fashion as something that can control people. It also has the biggest impact in achieving freedom and starting a riot. Fashion’s political protest side got stronger in the 21st century, of course, with the help of social media and the power of attracting audiences via it. In this century, the world is facing various problems, and to make a political statement, fashion shows are the best places. 

Moschino, in its Fall/Winter 2025 collection, ended its show with a white t-shirt that reads “SOS” and “save our Sphere”, while the model held three garbage bags. Every person who is into fashion knows that the closings are the most important parts of the runway, especially if you have a political statement.

75 years ago, it was about postwar looks. Designers like Christian Dior revolutionized fashion and women with their new political collections. Dior attempted to create a collection that allowed women to dress much more differently than their time. Thus, the women stand against discrimination, oppression, and dehumanization.

The runways or collections are not the only places that can be political. Red carpets are also popular to make your own statement. In 2019, Billy Portal wore a tuxedo dress on the red carpet of the Academy Awards. He aimed to be the voice of people oppressed due to their gender and identity. He claims that his main goal is to be as political as he can. 

In conclusion, people may start to realize, like everything else in life, fashion is also political. Virgil Abloh of Louis Vuitton claims: “There’s the politics on your phone and the politics on your street. And, yeah, there’s the politics of your clothes.” Fashion is always about representing what you think and believe to the world. With its colors and fabrics, it’s the strongest weapon in your hands. Just make sure no one silences your own unique colors.