Fashion Commands Attention in a Fragmented Digital Era
- Feb 1
- 2 min read
Mark Twain once said, “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”
Today, fashion is still one of the most potent forms of cultural capital -- one that influences culture and is influenced by culture in return.
Coming off the heels of Paris Fashion week (I'm still inspired by Pharrell's latest Louis Vuitton showing) and on the heels of New York Fashion Week 2026, where designers, icons, and rising stars will be making statements that ripple across cities and social media, it’s clear that fashion continues to serve as a megaphone, a bridge, and a signal.
Across music, politics, and culture, fashion is already working as an amplifier:
A$AP Rocky dropped his highly anticipated album, Don’t Be Dumb, and tacked on a Vogue mini-series to the rollout. Already notorious for his style, Rocky uses fashion as a visual extension of his creative authorship.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected Mayor of New York City, stepped out with a custom Carhartt jacket during NYC’s first big snowstorm of his term, including another New York signature — crisp, black timbs. To add a sweet spot: Staff in the mayor’s office directed the design elements, including typography crafted by Noah Neary, senior adviser to First Lady Rama Duwaji.
Kai Cenat caused a visceral reaction amongst fans and haters alike when he left streaming to drop Vivet’s first limited fashion collection that sold out in minutes — proving how social influence and style can command attention in a fragmented digital era.
These examples are echoes of historical moments where fashion made statements in politics and culture.
This… “stuff”? Oh, okay. I see, you think this has nothing to do with you…And it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact…you're wearing a sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room…from a pile of "stuff." - Amanda Presley, the Devil Wears Prada.
Think of Barack and Michelle Obama: their clothing choices were scrutinized globally. Remember President Obama's Tan Suit controversy? And that time when Michelle Obama wore a sleeveless dress?
Even Josephine Baker in the 1920s used clothing and performance like the infamous Banana Skirt to disrupt racial and gender tensions.
And there are also negative parallels raising eyebrows today, like the winter coat worn by U.S. Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, which many have referred to as Nazi attire.
When wielded thoughtfully, fashion a tool for making (good or bad) ideas impossible to ignore, whether on the streets, on stage, or in the halls of power.
How can you incorporate this immediately?
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