{"id":1753350,"date":"2026-02-05T05:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T02:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1753350"},"modified":"2026-02-05T05:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T02:30:00","slug":"is-fashion-getting-political-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1753350","title":{"rendered":"Is Fashion Getting Political Again?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69834aa4d32ff3fe20b96a31\/16:9\/w_1280,c_limit\/fashion-political-vogue-business-story%20copy.jpg”]<\/p>\n

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Fashion<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Is Fashion Getting Political Again?<\/h1>\n
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By <\/span>Madeleine Schulz<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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Photos: Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cBefore I say thanks to God, I\u2019m gonna say ICE out,\u201d said Bad Bunny, wearing custom Schiaparelli, while accepting his Album of the Year award during Sunday night\u2019s Grammys ceremony. \u201cWe\u2019re not savages, we\u2019re not animals, we\u2019re not aliens, we are humans, and we are Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t alone in using his time on stage to speak out against the violence happening across the US. Olivia Dean, in Chanel, spoke about her immigrant roots. \u201cI\u2019m a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.\u201d And Billie Eilish, in custom Hodakova \u2014 complete with an ICE Out pin \u2014 told attendees that \u201cno one is illegal on stolen land\u201d.<\/p>\n

On the carpet, high-profile celebrities from Justin and Hailey Bieber to Kehlani wore ICE Out pins, a signal of protest as tensions in Minneapolis and beyond continue to rise. The ceremony came fresh off the heels of last Friday\u2019s National Strike \u2014 no work, no school, no shopping \u2014 in solidarity with Minnesota and other areas impacted by violence from ICE. On Friday, brands including Brandon Blackwood, fine jewelry brand Mazahri and stores Mr Larkin (Houston) and Rocha (Austin), shut down for the day in support of the general strike. Other brands, like New York-based Kallmeyer, donated a portion of Friday\u2019s sales to organizations that support immigrant rights and legal aid; beauty brand Dieux donated 100%, after raising money for Minnesota schools in the preceding weeks. Marc Jacobs shared an Instagram post with tips on ways to join the strike if you had to work.<\/p>\n

These actions of solidarity \u2014\u00a0primarily from independent brands and high-profile celebrities \u2014\u00a0feel increasingly necessary as political tensions heighten and violence mounts. \u201cBrands and celebrities speaking out reflect the growing groundswell of outrage and fear that everyone in America is feeling \u2014 whether for ourselves, our loved ones, or our communities,\u201d says Danielle Silber, director of strategic partnerships for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which helped spearhead the \u2018Be Good\u2019 and \u2018ICE Out\u2019 campaign across the Golden Globes, Sundance and, most recently, the Grammys.<\/p>\n

\u201cMusical artists are their own brands and like independent brands, understand the need to speak out and relate to their audiences,\u201d says Sara Arnell, brand strategist and adjunct professor at New York\u2019s Parsons School of Design. \u201cHighly publicized forms of protest by celebrities normalize speaking up or speaking out, provide the language of participation (like Ice Out) and set a tone that brands can follow and support. It brings speaking out into collective alignment and belonging.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Hailey Bieber and Billie Eilish in ICE Out badges at the Grammys.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Photo: Kevin Mazur\/Getty Images for The Recording Academy<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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As things continue to heat up, and businesses strike and celebrities speak out, bigger brands and conglomerates are left in a tougher spot than they may have anticipated, as consumers assess whether they align with their own views and values. One can\u2019t help but think back to 2020 \u2014\u00a0the last time there was a cross-industry general strike in the United States \u2014\u00a0when brands, large and small, spoke out about racism in the US. Nike took a stance with its \u201cFor Once, Don\u2019t Do It\u201d ad, and designers including Alessandro Michele (then at Gucci) and Marc Jacobs showed solidarity for the Black Lives Matter campaign on their personal accounts.<\/p>\n

Since then, though, brands have gone relatively quiet. It\u2019s rarer to see fashion brands speak out about political issues these days \u2014\u00a0especially those backed by conglomerates. Still, 71% of consumers say a brand \u2018must take a political position\u2019, according to research from Edelman. When a brand doesn\u2019t communicate its actions on social issues, 51% of Edelman survey respondents said they \u2018take this to mean the brand is doing nothing or hiding something\u2019.<\/p>\n

This is especially true at this moment. Customers were receptive to Mr Larkin\u2019s Friday closure, says designer and founder Casey Larkin Blond, which somewhat surprised her, having had negative commentary in response to political content in the past. \u201cI\u2019ve always had people write, \u2018why don\u2019t you stick to fashion?\u2019 and things like that\u2026even on things that are not even very radical. But now, nothing,\u201d she says. \u201cI feel like people are really paying attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, speaking out can be risky, says Sam Cummins, co-host of fashion and culture podcast Nymphet Alumni. \u201cDrawing attention to a brand\u2019s moral values is tricky, since it\u2019s very common for brands, especially large ones, to have some dirty laundry,\u201d she says. \u201cConsumers are often suspicious of brand solidarity.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s even less straightforward than it was six years ago. As conservatism retains a stronghold in the cultural sphere, brands risk alienating large \u2014\u00a0and vocal \u2014\u00a0consumer segments should they take a strong and definitive stance in the other direction. Most notably, fashion companies are operating in an environment where they fear repercussions should they espouse sentiments that don\u2019t align with those in power. Yet when it comes to human rights, does there come a point when brands must speak up?<\/p>\n

The onus<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fashion is a capitalist industry, and large brands with big client bases spanning the political spectrum have more to lose if they were to take a stance on a political issue. Smaller and independent businesses are more flexible, Arnell says. \u201cThey can make decisions faster in order to capitalize on the moment at hand. They have the autonomy to align their brand with the values of their audience \u2014 or desired audience,\u201d she says. The big multi-national luxury brands, on the other hand, are more cautious by virtue of their makeup. \u201cThey have board issues and operational issues and the focus on cultural moments will be through the lens of managing risk.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Because conglomerate-backed luxury brands shy away from speaking out, the burden falls on smaller brands to resist and \u2018get political\u2019. This is nothing new, founders point out; it\u2019s always been the smaller, independent players who have been the most politically active. \u201cThe bigger ones come in at the end when it becomes more performative,\u201d Blond says.<\/p>\n

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Instagram content<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

For larger brands, it can be a lose-lose situation, experts warn. If they take a vague stance that goes no deeper than a post or statement, they risk hollowing out the messaging, Arnell cautions. Cummins agrees, noting that the mainstream has caught onto the fact that, when large corporations do speak up, it often comes from a cynical place. \u201cWalmart has one aim: to grow and profit by any means necessary,\u201d she says. \u201cBig brands have realized it\u2019s safer to lay low during times of strife, since they can easily catch strays from people who are frustrated with the system, and these companies often represent a distorted version of it. The average person now feels patronized when big brands posture charity.\u201d It\u2019s a sentiment that cuts across political affiliations, she adds.<\/p>\n

Brands are conscious of this. Mr Larkin\u2019s Blond has friends in the industry who, she says, feel advocacy can be performative if they\u2019re not generally \u2018political people\u2019. \u201cSo they just don\u2019t [speak out] because they\u2019re like, am I just following the crowd because they\u2019re doing it \u2014 even though I believe this is wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

Even so, following the killings of Renee Good, Keith Porter Jr., and Alex Pretti, larger businesses have begun to speak out \u2014 and take action \u2014 Silber says, likening this to the celebrities now taking a public stance. \u201cWhether it\u2019s Patagonia demanding Congress hold ICE accountable for the harm it\u2019s caused, Lush stores urging their customers to stand up to ICE\u2019s attacks, BCorps hosting a know your rights training for its 2,000 member companies, or Bad Bunny declaring \u201cICE OUT\u201d at the Grammys, it\u2019s clear that we\u2019re at an inflection point as a country,\u201d she says. \u201cWhile it can feel daunting to speak out in the face of threats, other non-violent movements have shown us that collective action is what best protects our rights in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n

Proximity matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When it comes to weighing in, proximity matters \u2014 to both the cause but also to the consumer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Whereas the majority of the businesses that went on strike, and celebrities who have spoken out, are US-based, many fashion companies are not. Luxury conglomerates are, by and large, foreign entities, says Thoma\u00ef Serdari, professor of fashion and luxury marketing at NYU\u2019s Stern School of Business. \u201cWhile they operate and gain a lot on American soil, they risk sounding impertinent if they take a stand against a different country\u2019s politics.\u201d Mr Larkin, on the other hand, stocks Los Angeles-made brands that have been impacted by ICE raids. The Houston store is sandwiched between neighboring restaurants that have protocol for their staff in case ICE comes to the venues. \u201cIt\u2019s not just on your TV,\u201d Blond says.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a level of dissonance between consumers and conglomerates, experts flag. After all of the talk \u2014 and subsequent backpedalling and silence \u2014\u00a0of 2020, consumers are less receptive to symbolic or empty gestures. Smaller brands, on the other hand, are more accessible and transparent.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the great things about small brands is the intimacy they can build with their customer base,\u201d Cummins says. \u201cWith smaller brands, there\u2019s a sense of familiarity. You can DM an independent designer, but God knows how anyone could get in contact with [a luxury CEO].\u201d<\/p>\n

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Protests swept the country over the weekend, pictured here in Minneapolis.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Photo: Jen Golbeck via Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The neutrality question<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The question, then, is whether a large corporation, removed from a personal identity, has a place in politics. But neutrality in 2026 is near-impossible, Arnell says. \u201cIn this environment, silent brands will be suspect, as if they have something to hide, or be seen as just not caring at all. Neither is good,\u201d she says. \u201cThere\u2019s no more quietly reducing policy language as we saw in 2020. Events like the day of protest, strikes and the Grammy Awards have raised the bar. Brands can\u2019t hide from what\u2019s happening.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Still, it\u2019s not as simple as opting in or out, which is glaringly apparent in luxury brands\u2019 approach to dressing the current administration. When discussing Melania Trump\u2019s relationship with luxury brands, stylist Bailey Moon recalled working on the brand side during Donald Trump\u2019s first term. \u201cShe would wear things and we would just kind of be like, \u2018ugh, OK\u2019, and you just don\u2019t do anything about it because you can\u2019t prevent a customer from buying the clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though Serdari doesn\u2019t believe neutrality is possible at the individual level in 2026, she\u2019s less convinced when it comes to company action. \u201cThere are many more complexities that define each business and consumers don\u2019t necessarily have the full picture,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Whereas conglomerates are limited in their actions by corporate red tape, smaller brands left to take action are limited by sheer capacity. Though Blond has always imbued her work with politics, she understands founders who simply don\u2019t have the capacity to do so. \u201cWhen you\u2019re this one man show and [you\u2019re an] indie business and you\u2019re hanging on by a thread as it is, it\u2019s hard. You\u2019ve got kids and you\u2019ve got to go to the grocery store, you have to make it.\u201d But she still carves out the time.<\/p>\n

Cummins likens neutrality to apathy. Both are dangerous. \u201cIt\u2019s easy to become jaded or ironically detached from major causes because of past fumbles,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s why transparency and simplicity can feel hopeful. A platitude can be delivered with concealed cynicism, but something measurable and quantifiable, like a monetary donation or participation in a strike, can give people a sense of hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

More from this author:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Post-Versace, Capri Beats Sales Expectations<\/p>\n

What It Means to Dress Melania in Trump\u2019s Second Term<\/p>\n

Can Saks Win Back Brands?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

[analyse_source url=”http:\/\/vogue.com\/article\/is-fashion-getting-political-again”]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/69834aa4d32ff3fe20b96a31\/16:9\/w_1280,c_limit\/fashion-political-vogue-business-story%20copy.jpg”] Fashion Is Fashion Getting Political Again? By Madeleine Schulz February 5, 2026 Photos: Getty Images \u201cBefore I say thanks to God, I\u2019m gonna say ICE out,\u201d said Bad Bunny, wearing custom Schiaparelli, while accepting his Album of the Year award during Sunday night\u2019s Grammys ceremony. \u201cWe\u2019re not savages, we\u2019re not animals, we\u2019re […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,50],"class_list":["post-1753350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-vogue-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1753350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1753350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1753350\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1753350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1753350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1753350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}