Voting Fashion as Hot as the US Presidential Election... Boots, Necklaces, and Shorts Included

About 30 Days Until the US Presidential Election
Campaigns Encouraging Voting
"Encouraging Political Participation of Young MZ Generation"
Criticism of 'Victory Strategy' Tactics

Former U.S. President Barack Obama's wife, Michelle Obama, is delivering a virtual speech at the Democratic National Convention on August 17 (local time). The necklace she wore that day features the English letters spelling "VOTE."
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Cha] 'Vote the assholes out'

Outdoor brand Patagonia, famous for its eco-friendly fashion, recently secretly engraved this slogan on the label of a pair of shorts. It was a playful message from Patagonia, which has cautiously revealed its political stance over the past few years. This sparked a huge buzz on social networking services (SNS). The hashtag (#) on Instagram surpassed 1,000 posts.

With the U.S. presidential election just over 30 days away and election fever heating up, so-called 'voting fashion' is also gaining attention. It is becoming increasingly important as one of the ways the MZ generation (a combination of Millennials and Generation Z) enjoys voting and encourages others to vote.

According to the British Guardian and major foreign media on the 3rd, one of the hot topics in the fashion industry currently is the '2020 U.S. presidential election' and 'voting.' Many brands are conducting campaigns in collaboration with related public interest organizations to encourage public participation in voting.

The earrings worn by Michelle Obama, wife of former U.S. President Barack Obama, during her virtual speech at the Democratic National Convention on August 17 (local time) became a big topic online. The gold earrings were designed using the English letters of 'Vote' as decorative elements. Jill Biden, wife of U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, attracted attention by wearing boots with the word 'Vote' written on them. These boots are from the luxury shoe brand Stuart Weitzman, and the sales proceeds are used for the public interest campaign 'I am Voter.'

Fashion brands targeting young consumers are doing the same. Denim specialist brand Levi's and fashion brand Michael Kors are selling 'Vote' T-shirts. American Eagle is also doing the same. Patagonia has gone a step further by repeatedly uploading posts titled 'Vote public lands' on its official Instagram account, rallying supporters through digital campaigns. It carries a clear message: 'Vote for politicians who value nature.'

Encouraging political participation and sharing activities through SNS is a natural pastime for the MZ generation. Searching the hashtag (#) 'I am a voter' on Instagram yields about 16,000 posts as of this date. The public interest organization with the same name, 'I am a Voter,' has over 100,000 followers. Related discussions can also be easily found on Twitter, BuzzFeed, and other platforms.

The Guardian analyzed that this cultural movement could act as a catalyst for political change in the U.S. Crystal Carlson, Vice President of PR at the public interest organization 'When We All Vote,' said in an interview with the Guardian, "These organizations want to connect with the MZ generation," explaining, "They guide them to participate in politics by seeing products they buy or motifs worn by influencers and artists." This is based on the expectation that young voters, who have relatively low turnout rates in the U.S., could become the central force for change.

However, some criticize that voting is being used commercially by the fashion industry. It is said to be one of the long-standing winning strategies. The fashion trade publication Business of Fashion (BoF) pointed out, "From $850 cashmere sweaters to screen-printed tote bags, brands are using 'voting' as a marketing tactic to connect with consumers," adding, "They are now at a crossroads where they must choose a stance rather than simply encouraging voting."