WHEN FASHION MEETS THE REALITY OF 2017

The other day I found myself reading an article (sorry, it’s in Danish) from  Sille Sørensen, blogger/writer at SilleWho.dk. She raised the two questions “Has fashion gone political? And does it make a difference?” I couldn’t help but wonder and was bound to her text. I left a comment telling her about an experience I had here in New York while on my way home from The Women’s March back in January:

I was on the subway, on my way home. A homeless man entered my subway car and started begging for money while making his way through all the people. He bumped into another man, didn’t apologize, and instead just continued. The man (who happened to be Hispanic) got a little upset and they started fighting. “Fuck you, no fuck you.” The subway pulled into the next station and before the homeless man got off he yelled out “I’m so fucking happy Trump is president, so he can throw your ass out of this country.” I was petrified. I had definitely heard stories, and seen videos of episodes in this country. But for some reason my naive self had not seen it coming here in New York. I mean, New York is a mostly democrat state. The subway was filled with people who had walked The Women’s March, and therefore dressed for the occasion and carrying big signs reading hilarious (but serious) stuff like “Made in ‘Gina,” “If I wanted politic$ in my vagina, I’d fuck a senator,” “Leave the pussy control to Prince” and many more. No one said anything. I didn’t either.

I’ve never really been a person who demonstrated or raised my voice in big crowds or to big crowds. But what’s happening in America right now is frightening. People being targeted, who don?t deserve it. Racism racing. A wall to be built? And now press is being denied access to press conferences in The White House? What?s happening to this world?

Sille raised the question about fashion as a new political statement, and I actually am happy that we ?normal? people are able to demonstrate in our everyday life. That this is becoming the new normal. We saw loads of statements during CPHFW and NYFW, artists have expressed themselves during award season, many people have demonstrated (including me), and I love how we are now able to buy clothes making our standpoint clear. I chose my first political t-shirt to be about me as a female. I think it?s cute, and think it puts awareness to female power, and most importantly I feel powerful wearing it. So to Sille?s questions (which she btw answered perfectly herself) fashion has gone political, but I wonder if it has always been? And yes, it helps. It helps me gain strength to find the attitude ?it?ll all be okay.? To make me worry less. And if everyone felt that way from simply dressing themselves in a statement, that?s a start.