First Lady Jill Biden speaks at the Fashion For Our Future Rally

On September 6, the first official day of New York Fashion Week, Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America hosted a march down Broadway, rallying designers, artists, influencers, editors, and activists alike to vote in the upcoming presidential election.

Entitled “Fashion For Our Future,” the early morning gathering saw Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Zac Posen, and Thom Browne lead the way toward Bryant Park, where First Lady Jill Biden made a surprise speech to encourage voter registration and thank the fashion community for its continued efforts in advocating for the democratic party.

Aurora James, a Toronto native who came to the US to “chase her dream” as a fashion designer, opened the rally. “Your story is the American story,” James, the creative director and founder of Brother Vellies, started. “Each of us here today represents a weave in the fabric that makes this country so special. That makes this country so beautiful, so strange, so magical, and so fruitful of all of our dreams.”

The 40-year-old style architect acknowledged the promise of prosperity and freedom in the country and the contribution of US citizens in helping to advance these ideals. “This place can be exactly what we make of it,” James remarked. “Each of us contributes to our collective success. Each of us contributes to our collective liberation.”

With just two months before the presidential election, James expressed concern for the future, noting how democracy has been threatened before and that same peril is present now.

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Thom Browne, chairman of the CFDA and creator of his eponymous brand, expressed a similar sentiment after James. As a major actor in the industry, Browne recognized how fashion is culturally, economically, and politically significant. Not only does the industry impact the economy, but it’s often used as a platform for free speech, pushing impactful messages on major issues such as abortion rights and gun violence.

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First Lady Jill Biden echoed Browne’s remarks, praising him, Wintour, and James for effectively rallying the fashion industry to help sustain democracy. Additionally, she took a moment to express her condolences to all those affected by the recent school shooting in Georgia.

“Your day may not start or stop with politics,” she said. “But elections are about so much more. They’re about the freedom for our children to learn without fear, without hate, without gun violence.

“This week we saw yet another tragic school shooting. We all stand with Georgia in sorrow and prayer, but we also have to act,” the first lady exclaimed.

Speaking directly to those in the crowd, she continued: “Elections matter. And I know that this crowd is ready for this one. The fashion industry always comes together when it matters most, when AIDS engulfed the industry, you raised awareness and money for research, and you did the same for breast cancer.

“Fashion has always been our future, this much is clear. You walk the walk, and you’ve always done it together, and that’s what we have to do again this fall.”

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For Eva Estime, co-creator of Dirty Celeb and CFDA award winner, showing up to the Fashion For Our Future event meant showing up for disability rights. “Fashion has always been a huge part of politics, whether it’s punk or, you know, statements that give a rise to political voices,” they told The Independent. “Fashion plays a huge role in that.”

The accessories designer established their brand alongside Yvette Estime as a mode of individuality, using sustainable materials to craft sophisticated yet playful pieces that challenge social norms and stiff trends.

Looking at fashion as a form of democracy, a method of expression for designers and wearers, is a consideration James believes many ignore. “I think that people are really tough on fashion a lot of the time. Like, they just want to kind of eye roll at it. They don’t really think about the impact that we have,” she confessed.

That said, the first lady recognized the industry’s impact, as well as the diverse leaders and workers who are just as affected by the issues reflected on the ballot as anyone else in the country. “I’m grateful to the first lady for understanding that we do really care as well, and we do as much as we can to sort of push things forward in our small corner of the world, and it’s better to do something than nothing,” James added.