Fashion as Protest: Political Statements on Red Carpets and Runways (3 of 4)

Lady Gaga’s Iconic Meat Dress

Lady Gaga wore a literal meat dress back in 2010 to the TV Video Music Awards and it wasn’t designed to simply create a shock. It was created from raw beef and designed by Franc Fernandez and was meant to represent Lady Gaga’s disdain for the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that existed at the time, strictly prohibiting LGBTQ+ individuals from serving in the US military. Gaga later explained that the look was inspired by fighting for one’s rights and created a political statement that people still discuss years later.

The Dior Shirt That Put Feminism Front and Center

Political fashion isn’t just limited to celebrity fashion. Designers can make the runway their own form of protest as well. For her 2016 debut Dior collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri designed a runway t-shirt that read, “We Should All Be Feminists.” The phrase came from a famous essay and TEDx talk from writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The shirt rapidly spilled over from fashion week into news headlines and was eventually worn by celebs like Rihanna and her partner, A$AP Rocky, making this luxury runway piece one of fashion’s most recognizable calls to action for feminism.