New York Fashion Week is already getting political.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America and Planned Parenthood announced a joint effort on Monday called “Fashion Stands With Planned Parenthood,” a campaign to demonstrate support for Planned Parenthood and protest moves to defund the organization by President Donald Trump. The CFDA worked with Condé Nast’s Creative Group to make pins that will be distributed to designers, influencers, PR houses, modeling agencies and fashion show locations.
According to the CFDA, several designers are already making donations to Planned Parenthood or raising funds for the organization, including Joseph Altuzarra. The designer announced on Instagram on Monday that he will hold a “special silent auction” for two tickets to his runway show, with all proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. Fans of the brand can enter by sending an email to a specified account.
Designer Tracy Reese, a CFDA board member, is encouraging designers to wear the Planned Parenthood pins to their shows, as well as place them on at least one runway model and all front row attendees. Many designers have already expressed support for the effort, and have stated they plan to wear the pins — including Kate Spade, Diane von Furstenberg and Zac Posen, as well as the duos behind Proenza Schouler and Public School. The CFDA and Planned Parenthood are encouraging designers and influencers to share a photo of themselves wearing the pin using the hashtag #IStandwithPP.
The announcement by CFDA comes after Rebecca Minkoff’s show at L.A. Fashion Week on Sunday, which the designer concluded by making a statement of her own: Minkoff featured singer MILCK and seven other women singing the song “Quiet,” which was deemed the unofficial rallying cry for the women’s marches that took place around the world in protest of President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Runway looks also included shirts that said “Women Up!” and “Love is love is love,” in support of LGBTQ equality.
Several of the men’s fashion shows used the runway last week to protest the divisive executive orders enacted by President Trump since he took office on January 20, including placing a travel ban on Muslim countries and overturning the U.S. refugee program. During Opening Ceremony’s show (which featured both men’s and women’s looks), designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim debuted a protest-themed ballet featuring a series of shirts emblazoned with sayings like “Fight,” “Unite,” “Change” and “Defy.” On the same note, By Robert James showed models dressed like protesters and carrying signs with sayings like “Planned Parenthood Saves Lives” and “Bridges Not Walls.”
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Balenciaga also made a statement when it debuted a number of styles that included imagery similar to Bernie Sanders’ campaign logo. When asked for his thoughts on the looks during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday, he responded, “Of my many attributes, being a great dresser or a fashion maven is not one of them.”
