Fashion has tread carefully with the US presidential election. Few brands have made an endorsement, let alone incorporated politics into their marketing. Where they have engaged, it’s typically been along the lines of “vote” campaigns or exhortations to make a positive impact, presumably by supporting Harris, though the candidate herself is rarely named. Willy Chavarria, with his nods to migrant workers and collaboration with the American Civil Liberties Union, is a prominent exception. Anna Wintour is also a longtime Democratic fundraiser, in August hosting an event for Harris alongside Tory Burch. LVMH maintains ties to both camps; Bernard Arnault and his wife attended a Biden-hosted state dinner in June, while his son, Tiffany executive Alexandre Arnault, visited Mar-a-Lago last year.

Businesses don’t want to alienate customers, and there’s been a general retreat from strident social stances as the energy from 2020 dissipates. There’s also the possibility of a second Donald Trump presidency to consider. Trump has made rewarding his supporters, and punishing his enemies, a staple of his campaign rhetoric. Avoiding politics altogether, or at least the appearance of being stridently partisan, has always been seen in many boardrooms as the low-risk option, now more so than ever (that doesn’t mean they stay neutral; large fashion retailers lobby politician directly and through industry groups on a number of issues).

But even as retailers avoid outward displays of partisan politics, they’re working overtime behind the scenes to prepare for the next administration. And not just in the US. Though it’s Americans voting, their choice will have a profound impact on the global fashion industry.

The extent to which Harris’ playbook will affect fashion is fairly straightforward, as the candidate is expected to stick to the general contours of President Joe Biden’s policies, with one exception flagged below. Trump is another matter entirely.

At the top of the list is Trump’s promise to slap tariffs on a staggering range of imported goods, which will instantly change the economics of where and how apparel is manufactured. The US imports the vast majority of its apparel, accessories and footwear, and lacks the capacity to manufacture significant volumes domestically. In a recent Washington Post interview, the CEO of Columbia Sportswear didn’t mince words: “we’re just going to deal with it and we’ll just raise the prices.” Expect many other brands to do the same should Trump follow through on his campaign promises. Given that consumers are already pushing back on the last round of hikes tied to inflation, adding the cost of tariffs without losing significant sales won’t be easy.

One counterweight would be an extension of tax cuts the Trump administration passed in its first term, as well as a long list of tax breaks Trump has promised on the campaign trail. If passed — a big if, given most of these measures would likely require at least some Democratic support — they would theoretically put more money in consumers’ pockets to pay for their suddenly more expensive imported goods.

Climate policy would also take a major detour, with the Trump administration almost certain to quickly undo much of its predecessors’ work to promote renewable energy and curb emissions. Fashion hasn’t exactly been leading the charge on these fronts. Other governments, particularly in Europe, will continue to apply pressure on the industry to reduce its impact on the planet. But a second Trump presidency would end hope for more ambitious global emissions targets and policies.

The future of fashion dealmaking is more of a wild card, whoever wins. The Federal Trade Commission under commissioner Lina Khan has blocked numerous high-profile mergers, including Tapestry’s proposed acquisition of rival handbag maker Capri earlier this month. Khan, whose three-year term ended in September but will stay on until a replacement is appointed, has fans and detractors in both the Harris and Trump camps. It’s no guarantee that Harris will stick with the FTC’s current track, or that Trump will go back to the anything-goes era.

There are plenty of additional what ifs keeping many people, fashion executives included, up at night. Would Trump really deport tens of millions of undocumented immigrants? How would he handle the escalating conflict in the Middle East? What becomes of Ukraine? Will Trump accept defeat, and if not, what will he and his supporters do? The list goes on and on.

The uncertainty is compounded by the fact that this election is a genuine toss-up. Polls haven’t been so tight this close to a presidential election in a generation, if ever. That means we likely won’t know who won Tuesday night, or possibly even this week. And the ramifications of that outcome will take even longer to unfold.

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Retail earnings season has been grim, with storied brands from Nike to Gucci-owner Kering reporting steep declines in sales. This week, perhaps we’ll see a change in the mood. An eclectic group of companies have managed to defy the gloom that’s settled in over much of the industry, several of which are set to report third-quarter results in the coming days. That includes a resurgent Adidas (results out Tuesday) and luxury stalwarts Prada Group (Wednesday) and Moncler (Tuesday), but also the oft-overlooked denim seller Kontoor Brands (Thursday), and the eternally popular Crocs (Tuesday).

Though they operate in different categories and price points, there are common reasons behind their continued success.

• Starting from a low bar. All of the successful brands reporting this week have made smart moves. But for Adidas and Kontoor, success looks even sweeter when bouncing back from a rough patch. Adidas was reeling from its imploding partnership with Ye during the height of the post-pandemic activewear boom. Its pivot to Sambas and athlete-focused marketing helped it win back consumers. Kontoor Brands started life five years ago as a spinoff of VF Corp.’s sleepy denim labels; Lee, and particularly Wrangler have benefitted enormously simply from not having to compete with Vans or Supreme for marketing budget and executives’ attention.
• In tough times, the brand is everything. It’s one of the basic rules of retail: if you’re not competing with the strength of your brand, you’re competing on price. The former is by far the better strategy in a moment where consumer spending is stagnating, and where Shein, Temu and Amazon keep finding new ways to lower the bar. The successful brands reporting this week laid the groundwork for this moment by identifying what people love about them and then doubling down, whether through collaborations (Moncler’s “Genius” series being the gold standard; another example is Wrangler and Staud, now on its third collection).
• Distribution matters. Many of the brands covered here will this week report surging direct-to-consumer revenue and less-rosy figures for their wholesale business. That’s by design — strong brands at most price points use their clout to steer customers to their own sites and stores, where margins are higher. It’s a strategy most aggressively pursued in luxury (wholesale accounted for just 9 percent of Prada Group’s sales in its most recent fiscal year, compared with 17 percent in fiscal 2019). But even Wrangler, ubiquitous in big-box and department stores, is seeing rapid growth in its DTC business.

Still, even these high-flying brands are likely to see moderating growth and pressure on margins as they compete for a shrinking pie. But they’re better positioned than many of their competitors to ride out the current period of uncertainty.

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Not so long ago, reporting quarterly results was a cheerful affair for publicly-traded luxury brands. Despite hefty price hikes, sales were up 10, 20, even 30 percent on post-pandemic exuberance and seemingly endless Chinese demand. So far this year, the earnings calls have been more grim. With a handful of exceptions, big luxury firms have reported flat-to-negative sales, and the outlook has only darkened. Sector bellwether LVMH kicks off third-quarter results on Tuesday, and its performance — along with commentary from chairman Bernard Arnault — will set the tone for the coming weeks.

Chinese Demand

What will inspire Chinese consumers to shop like it’s 2019 again? It’s the most important question facing the industry today. Luxury brands are bracing for steep declines in their China business in the third quarter, with flat to single-digit percentage drops seen as a win in the current environment. The country’s government cut interest rates and launched a fresh round of fiscal stimulus in September. Over the weekend, officials promised to inject more money into the economy, but were short on specifics.

Any rebound in luxury spending hinges on a recovery in the property market, which does not appear imminent. Chinese households have a large portion of their wealth in property, so slumping home prices can directly depress consumption, while the overall gloomy mood can put even renters off shopping.

The Right Price

For years, luxury brands have pushed up prices, mostly without being penalised by consumers. The calculus was that wealthy customers could absorb the hikes, making up for any pull back from entry-level shoppers. This held true for a while, and even in the second quarter of this year, brands at the very top of the market, such as Hermès, reported strong sales. But cracks are emerging.

While most visible in China, high-net-worth individuals are easing back on spending worldwide, amid uncertainty about the direction of the economy, the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy, geopolitical tensions and other factors, according to an analysis by Bernstein. The bank’s analysts also note that the cycle tends to turn quickly, with slumps in luxury demand lasting on average four to six quarters, followed by a rapid recovery. Some say the worst may be over by this time next year, if not sooner.

The question is whether brands that have been at the front of the price hike wave — including several in the LVMH portfolio — will look for ways to reconnect with aspirational customers, either through new, cheaper products, or discounting. LVMH’s recent deal with F1 is another approach to the problem: it promises a tight, long-term relationship between brands like Louis Vuitton and Tag Heuer, and a fast-growing, increasingly diverse fandom.

Designer Shakeup

The sector’s biggest players aren’t waiting for the market to turn. Weakening demand is almost certainly a key factor in the turnover among creative directors at major luxury brands. Hedi Slimane’s departure from LVMH’s Celine label is a case in point: though he roughly tripled sales, his high salary and production budgets were sticking points in thorny contract negotiations, BoF reported.

Last month, LVMH hired Sarah Burton to re-energise its Givenchy label. On Friday, the group announced Kim Jones is leaving Fendi, but remaining in his role as men’s creative director at Dior. And there may be more moves to come. Who is in these jobs certainly matters. But creative talent can only take brands so far when they’re up against China’s property market and the Federal Reserve.

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US retailers dodged a bullet with the unexpectedly speedy resolution of the strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports, which had threatened to hold up thousands of shipments meant to stock stores during the busiest shopping period of the year.

But though the fashion industry appears to have averted disaster, it’s still looking at the toughest environment around its most important season since the pandemic. Deloitte is predicting US retail sales between November and January to rise 2.3 percent to 3.3 percent to just under $1.6 trillion. Sales grew 4.3 percent in the same period in 2023, and 7.6 percent in 2022.

These low-single-digit increase predictions should be a warning for brands that were already struggling to hold consumers’ attention. Where there were mostly just winners in the holiday seasons immediately after the pandemic, that likely won’t be the case when people are watching their spending more closely.

It doesn’t help that holiday spending will be packed into a shorter timeframe, as Black Friday falls on Nov. 29 this year, a full five days later than in 2023. Few retailers will be waiting until late November to appeal to shoppers. Boston Consulting Group estimates that 29 percent of holiday spending occurs in October. Amazon’s touting holiday deals that will start Oct. 8, and beauty brands flooded the market with Advent calendars starting in September.

This season will be a big test for mass-market brands like Gap that have invested new energy in marketing and refreshing their inventory. Macy’s, for instance, should be using this holiday season to showcase its new commitment to improving the in-store experience, and to see whether new additions to its product mix, including a relaunch of menswear and some trendier brands, will draw shoppers back to its stores. Many retailers set expectations low this summer, predicting consumers would be more conservative in their spending in the second half of the year.

Luxury brands, too, are headed into unfamiliar territory: it’s been nearly a decade since the category’s outlook was this grim. While ultra-high-net-worth shoppers are expected to spend as always, the aspirational consumer, who might save up all year for that holiday splurge, has gone missing. Some brands will be tempted to ramp up discounts to ensure those customers return.

For TikTok, it may be the platform’s last holiday season in the US if it doesn’t win its legal battle to overturn a looming ban. You wouldn’t know it from opening the app, though. This may also be a last hurrah for Shein and Temu as well; though neither marketplace is in danger of being banned, they might soon lose a key edge on pricing if the Biden administration closes an import loophole on low-value shipments from China.

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When Nike ousted chief executive John Donahoe earlier this month, there were reports of cheers and popped bottles of Prosecco at the company’s Beaverton headquarters. Those employees were celebrating the replacement of Donahoe with Nike veteran Elliott Hill, who is seen as a better cultural fit, having held numerous roles at the company over 30 years.

A more immediate reason to celebrate: Nike now get a free pass on what are likely to be another bleak set of earnings on Tuesday. Analysts are anticipating a 10 percent drop in sales from the same period last year, reflecting the continued struggle to find a substitute for flagging sales of retro styles.

Hill won’t have much of a honeymoon before investors and those Prosecco-guzzling employees start expecting results. Nike could use this week’s earnings to buy him some time. In a note, Bernstein analysts predicted the company would lower forecasts for sales and profits in the second half of its fiscal year when it reports results this week. That way, Hill can soak in the accolades when he beats sub-basement-level expectations later this year.

We’re unlikely to get a true sense of what the Hill era looks like on Tuesday; he won’t even technically return to the company for another two weeks. Nike’s investor day in mid-November is a more likely venue for a grand strategy to emerge. Some Nike watchers are predicting the company will again stall for time, but it would be a missed opportunity to lay out a new vision, even if the details are scant.

Turning back to this week, the key question is how bad things are going to get, and how much of the blame falls on Donahoe, as opposed to thornier structural issues that even a talented insider may struggle to resolve.

Meanwhile, in Paris

Paris Fashion Week continues, with Alessandro Michele’s debut at Valentino on Sunday (read Tim Blanks’ interview with the designer), Balenciaga on Monday and Chanel, Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton closing things out on Tuesday. They’ll all be competing for attention with Levi’s, which has been teasing a collaboration with Beyoncé that’s set to drop on Sept. 30, with the rollout including an event in Paris.

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Background

A style renaissance that changed how many men dress — mostly for the better — has congealed into a sea of sameness, at least in the eyes of a growing number of fashion critics and influencers. Too many interchangeable brands take the same approach, blending tailoring with casualwear in neutral-toned collections that are stylish but often fail to inspire. The look is often derided as a menswear “starter pack,” but remains popular with consumers.

This week on The Debrief, Brian Baskin sits down with correspondents Malique Morris and Lei Takanashi to discuss why this “starter pack” approach works for the industry — but at the cost of long-term brand building and customer loyalty. Additionally, they probe what brands must do to recapture consumers’ imagination.

“Any brand can make a good product, but what makes a brand good, especially a good menswear brand, is having a great story that’s worth telling,” says Takanashi.

Key Insights

• Menswear brands today are following a familiar formula, leading to a prevalence of “starter pack” lookbooks. “They all do some sort of version of this. Approachability, timeless, stylish and handsome but inoffensive look,” says Morris. This marketing playbook, popularised by brands like Aimé Leon Dore and followed by many others, has led to a lack of creativity and experimentation. As Morris puts it, “everything is good and nothing is great. So if everyone can dress well, then no one is actually cool.”
• What makes brands stand out over decades isn’t radical changes in design, but compelling storytelling and myth making. Morris argues consumers may not be loyal to today’s menswear brands in the long term if they’re just buying into a trendy and easy to copy aesthetic.
• But Takanashi notes that for certain brands that are seen as authentically embracing this style, their best bet is stick to what’s worked: “I feel like in the case of brands like Aimé Leon Dore and Supreme, the long game for them is becoming a heritage label … they have such a distinct point of view that they will always have a core consumer.” As Morris puts it, “what brands should think about is just being themselves.”

Additional Resources

• Why Menswear Is Getting a Marketing Refresh: As critics argue that menswear labels’ homogenous marketing style has made for a feeling of sameness in the sector, start-ups are beginning to invest in imagery that will set them apart from their competitors.
• Can Off-White Get Back on Track? In recent years, the death of founder Virgil Abloh, a troubled push upmarket and the near implosion of Farfetch have dealt severe blows to one of the world’s most successful luxury streetwear brands. Off-White CEO Cristiano Fagnani sat down with BoF to outline his ‘reset’ strategy.
• How the Streetwear Customer Is Evolving: Streetwear is by no means dead, but its customers are changing. Today they’re embracing a diverse wardrobe that mixes logo T-shirts with heritage brands and traditional menswear or luxury.

In an era of rapid designer turnover at major European luxury houses, Paris Fashion Week typically features multiple creative director debuts. This time there’s just one, but it’s big.

The most hotly-anticipated show of the season will be former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele’s debut collection for Valentino on Sunday, Sept. 29. While designers often build suspense by shrouding their debuts in mystery, Michele dropped over 260 pre-collection images in June.

BoF luxury editor Robert Williams wrote at the time: “Michele interspersed hallmarks of the brand’s intensely pretty, romantic identity — like pleated, tea-length skirts and ultra-classic pocketbooks — with decadent touches associated with his own aesthetic: cascading ruffles, (faux) fur trim, retro sunglasses and metallic or jewel-tone details.” The internet struggled to see that the collection was very Valentino when it felt so Michele, too. (Valentino was a key reference throughout his Gucci era).

How Michele’s collection is received matters, but what the brand does with it in the coming months matters even more. Valentino owner Mayhoola is counting on Michele to accelerate growth at the brand, which struggled to translate predecessor Pierpaolo Piccioli’s dreamy couture into a more commercial offering. Bridging the divide between runway fantasy and retail reality was of course Michele’s forte at Gucci, though much has changed since he left that brand in 2022.

Elsewhere in Paris, Chemena Kamali shows her second collection for Chloé on Sept. 26, and Seán McGirr shows his second collection for Alexander McQueen on Sept. 28. Chanel, still without a creative director, will show at the Grand Palais on Oct. 1, while we’ll have to wait longer to see Peter Copping’s debut at Lanvin, as well as Sarah Burton’s for Givenchy.

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This week begins and ends with shows from big brands with a lot to prove and where expectations are low. On Monday, Burberry shows for the first time since former Coach head Joshua Schulman was brought in as chief executive. Consumers have rejected the brand’s efforts to shake up its aesthetic with designer Daniel Lee, and have been particularly hostile to an effort to charge significantly higher prices. That’s fuelled speculation that Burberry under Schulman will take a “British Coach” approach and reorient around aspirational shoppers; the company itself hasn’t confirmed a shift in strategy, so for now we’ll have to look for clues on the runway in London.

Later this week in Milan, Gucci’s rough patch is only getting deeper and wider, with sales plummeting 20 percent in the second quarter compared with a year ago. The brand urgently needs to get customers and fashion insiders excited by Sabato De Sarno’s designs; to that end, in April Gucci brought in former Louis Vuitton and Prada communications executive Stefano Cantino in a newly created deputy CEO role. A turnaround hinges on correctly diagnosing whether the brand’s troubles stem from marketing, the luxury downturn, De Sarno’s clothes or some combination of the three. The answer is unlikely to come at Friday’s show.

Meanwhile, just as attendees are filing into the Etro show in Milan on Wednesday, the Federal Reserve will release its much-anticipated interest rate decision. Economists are expecting the central bank to make its first cut, most likely a quarter percentage point, since it first increased rates in 2022 to combat rising prices. Inflation has decisively cooled – the annualised rate fell to 2.5 percent in August, the lowest since February 2021 – and softer jobs numbers are raising concerns that high borrowing costs are beginning to drag on the economy.

Lower interest rates will be mostly good news for fashion. A reduced Fed prime rate will quickly translate into lower interest payments for consumers with credit card debt. Venture capital funds will be on the hunt for higher-yielding investments, making them more likely to take a risk on fashion start-ups. Companies with heavy debt loads will have opportunities to refinance, freeing up cash to invest in their businesses.

This week’s rate cut won’t accomplish all that overnight. But if it turns out to be the first of many such reductions, as economists are predicting, the economics of the fashion industry may be transformed.

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This is a bit of a bridge week for fashion month, with the tail end of New York and the start of London. In New York, Off-White has the potential to have a moment on Sunday; the brand is aiming to recalibrate its positioning and reconnect with its US fanbase after a period of poor performance. Coach’s collection will be presented on Tuesday on the High Line, though the real show may be in federal court in lower Manhattan, where parent company Tapestry will face off against the Federal Trade Commission, which is suing to block the former’s acquisition of Michael Kors owner Capri.

In London, the big story is Burberry’s first show under chief executive Joshua Schulman, but we’ll save that for next week’s newsletter. Otherwise the focus will be on the city’s many promising young designers. This season’s highlights include Olly Shinder, showing menswear as part of Fashion East on Friday, Harri, of Sam Smith inflatable jumpsuit fame, on Saturday, plus the return of Nensi Dojaka, also on Saturday. On Sept. 15, Joanna Parv shows, as does Paolo Carzana, a finalist for the LVMH Prize. (He’ll know by then if he won, as the announcement is this coming Tuesday; another finalist, Standing Ground, also shows in London, on Saturday).

Off the runway, Nike holds its shareholder meeting on Sept. 10. These are usually pretty rote affairs; shareholders have put up for vote resolutions addressing human rights issues in the company’s supply chain, as well one demanding it revamp its sustainability strategy. Such resolutions rarely succeed (and never have at Nike). This year some have the backing of a Norwegian sovereign wealth fund that is Nike’s ninth-biggest shareholder, as well as two leading proxy advisory firms.

Inditex reports first-half results on Wednesday. Shares have been hitting record highs all year, mostly thanks to Zara’s hot streak. The retailer has cemented its status in consumers’ minds as a fashion, rather than merely fast-fashion, destination, with lush campaign imagery and capsules with photographer Steven Meisel and former Saint Laurent and Zegna designer Stefano Pilati. There’s no such thing as enjoying one’s success in this business, however. H&M is in the midst of rolling out a marketing and merchandising effort meant to bring some buzz back to the retailer. Shein is pursuing a London initial public offering that would add to its already substantial war chest. Temu sales continue to rocket higher, and Amazon and Walmart are making moves to up their fashion game. Inditex has effectively used the last few years to build up a commanding lead in the sector, both in terms of sales (which are now nearly double H&M’s), and premium branding that lower-cost rivals will struggle to match.

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Another season of fashion shows kicks off in New York this week, starting with Proenza Schouler on Sept. 4. It comes as the industry finds itself in a transitional moment. Consumers are being choosier about where they spend. Labels that can make a convincing case for driving trends, or must-own pieces, continue to thrive, while those that leaned too heavily on logos or now-dated hero products are being abandoned. This dynamic has been particularly punishing for the tiny, insider-y brands that make up a big chunk of the New York schedule. The latest victim is Interior, which told Vogue last week it was shutting down.

New York has settled into a two-tier dynamic where buzzy local labels are just trying to keep the lights on for another season, and maybe nudge American fashion in new directions, while giants like Coach and Tommy Hilfiger use the week to kick off or amplify global marketing campaigns. Take Ralph Lauren: after presenting a collection at corporate headquarters before a small audience in April, is back to its usual big swings with a show in Bridgehampton on Sept. 5. The setting speaks to the wealthy shoppers who the brand has targeted with its long-term elevation strategy. As the exit from underperforming department stores accelerates, and Ralph Lauren’s international business grows, big marketing moments like this, along with the Olympics and the US Open, become more important.

Increasingly in the mix as well are European brands that want to boost their US profile with one-off shows. This season brings Alaïa, on Sept. 6, Nanushka on Sept. 7, Off-White on Sept. 8, Cos and Toteme on Sept. 10 and Ronald Van Der Kemp on Sept. 11 (plus Armani next month), more than making up for the usual trickle of defections by American brands to Paris and Milan.

As has become the norm since the pandemic, if not earlier, New York Fashion Week is set to be a mix of styles, budgets and audiences. And the lion’s share of the commercial benefit will continue to go to the biggest and best-funded brands, while emerging labels muscle for their own moment in the spotlight.

The Week Ahead wants to hear from you! Send tips, suggestions, complaints and compliments to brian.baskin@businessoffashion.com.

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Background:

As the first female, Black and South Asian Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris’s every move is closely watched — from her policy decisions to her wardrobe. With Harris now leading the Democratic ticket in the 2024 presidential election, her style and beauty choices — from her sleek silk press hairstyle to her endless variety of pantsuits — have sparked renewed discussion.

“She is communicating something, even if it’s not remarkable,” said BoF senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young. “No one truly opts out of signalling something with how they present themselves.”

This week on The Debrief, BoF executive editor Brian Baskin sat down with Butler-Young and editorial apprentice Yola Mzizi to explore how Harris’s beauty and fashion choices are being interpreted by different audiences across the political spectrum, and what that means for the future of political style.

Key Insights:

• Harris’s signature silk-pressed hairstyle has deep roots. “It’s a centuries old way of straightening hair, and it’s been around for generations upon generations. Most people associate it with just the hair that they have to have for Easter Sunday, or the style that the grandmothers would have,” Mzizi explains. Despite the history, Black Gen-Z voters have embraced the style, calling it the presidential silk press. “It’s a way to support her candidacy in a fun way,” said Mzizi.
• Harris’ wardrobe choices are being closely scrutinised, which has led her to more streamlined, straightforward ensembles. “The pantsuits, specifically the colour schemes — black, grey, navy blue, or just blues, with an occasional pastel, a pump as the shoe, or occasional Converse and pearls — are very much in line with how politicians dress,” said Butler-Young. Meanwhile, male politicians, like Harris’s vice-presidential nominee, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have more freedom to experiment. “You look at her running mate Tim Walz, and his ability to sort of play around with style with those well-worn red wing boots, the camouflage hats, rather than being distracting, they actually endear some voters to him … Kamala, for all intents and purposes, doesn’t seem to have the licence to do that.”
• The 2024 election has highlighted the growing role of fashion and beauty in politics. Black-owned beauty brand BLK/OPL was centre stage at the DNC providing makeup services as the event’s first beauty sponsor. “Harris’s candidacy is opening up new avenues for different kinds of brands to have their say in this larger conversation,” Mzizi notes.
• Should Harris win the presidency, she could use her platform to further influence the intersection of fashion and politics. Harris has already hinted at this with her past choices by wearing Black designers like Christopher John Rogers and Sergio Hudson. “She’ll have more leeway to [support minority designers] when she’s empowered. Right now, I think she’s constrained … by this idea of having to cater to this broad, collective public palette.”

Additional resources:

• How Kamala Harris’ Signature Tresses Became a Gen-Z Hit: Once a symbol of assimilation in post-slavery America, the silk press has taken on a new life among young Black women, thanks to an old clip of Kamala Harris discussing her hair routine that went viral on TikTok.
• Why Kamala Harris Isn’t Making Bold Fashion Choices – Yet: With her wardrobe of pantsuits in conservative colours, the vice president has studiously avoided drawing attention to her style choices. Experts say that reflects the reality that, as a Black and Indian woman in the upper echelon of politics, self-expression carries risks.