Design in politics has been around for a long, long time; a lot longer than we think. From Benjamin Franklin designing the “Join, or Die” emblem to Ronald Reagan’s cowboy doodles, design has and will continue to have the power to persuade and support change.
When post-war designers arose, there was a rise in independent campaigns that spoke out against the government. People wanted to see change happen so they took matters into their own hands. The influence of independent work moved into the modern-day and whether that be party or issue-driven, people are still designing ways in which they want to see a better version this country.
And what better way to do that than with fashion?
When Joe Biden announced he was stepping down from his reelection campaign back in July, it was fashion and fashion designers who stepped up, and who were quick to pivot in support of a new (and less conventional) nominee.
Dubbed the Designers for Democracy collection, the initiative features apparel and accessories by Aurora James, Tory Burch, Prabal Gurung, Thom Browne, Victor Glemaud, and more. Of the 16 designers who participated, five were new to presidential campaign merch—Ulla Johnson, Sergio Hudson, Willy Chavarria, Rachel Scott, and Bettina Benson. Others, including Brett Heyman, Vera Wang, and Joseph Altuzarra all previously designed for Joe Biden’s “Believe in Better” 2020 campaign. Each designer was tasked with incorporating themes of the campaign as well as the issue they felt most passionate about.
For Aurora James, creative director of Brother Vellies and founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, two ribbed sock sets advocate for reproductive rights and voting. And a T-shirt with the words “America Is an Idea” speaks to how meaningful this election year is for James. “The most important issue for me this fall is unity and compassion,” James told Vogue.
Climate change and voting awareness were also among the themes of the 2024 campaign collection of tees, tanks, long-sleeved shirts, hoodies, sweaters, tote bags and more. Pieces include a floral terry cloth hoodie by Ulla Johnson emblazoned with “Our Bodies” and “Our Vote” along the sleeves, a Victor Glemaud tank top with the phrase “we are not going back / kamala” across the chest, a gray “Kamala” sweater by Willy Chavarria and a black T-shirt by poet and artist Cleo Wade featuring a photo of the Democratic presidential candidate as a young girl with the words, “the first but not the last.”
As a designer myself (graphic not fashion) whose designed for political campaigns, the initiative really inspired me. It reminded me why I pivoted to purpose-driven work back in 2020, specializing in fundraising, advocacy, and constituency development. And I admire any designer determined to use the some-would-consider frivolous skill we have to try to make the world a better place. After all, over the past couple of years, the world has felt perpetually on fire, in the throws of one crisis after another: from pandemics and war to racism and gun violence. And it does feel good to be working side by side with people—even if its in a minuscule way—who are knee-deep in these fights.
In an instagram statement on the collection, Aurora James added "America is a beautiful, strange and bountiful place. America is also an idea. And exactly whose idea she is, will be voted on up and down the ballot all across the country this November. For too long people that look like me were made to feel that we didn’t belong here. But America belongs to all of us, equally. And we belong to her too. She is our home, she is our heart, she is our idea. She is the dream we dream awake. She is the ballot we will cast. She is our message in a bottle for future generations."
All pieces can be purchased at KamalaHarris.com.
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