#statementclothing
It’s not particularly new for artists to wear clothing printed with text on stage, any more than it is for a celebrity or politician to wear statement clothes on the street or even at a gala. In many ways, we’re seeing a return style that literally says something, visual codes that aren’t coded, but instead, verbatim.
Recently at Coachella, there was no such thing as reading between the lines. Directness was the style of choice when it came to the fashion worn by performers. Charli XCX wore a dress by designer Briah Artemis Taubman post-show emblazoned with the not-so-suble message “Miss Should’ve Been Headliner.” On stage with Arca, Addison Rae announced her album release date on the bum of her Victoria’s Secret Pink underwear, which was visible through her sheer, bohemian Chloé dress. However, these Coachella moments were indicative of something bigger that’s happening in the fashion zeitgeist right now.
Right after the opening weekend of Coachella, the WNBA had its draft night. Top players wore fabulous suits and sparkles, but one particular accessory sparked conversation. Saniya Rivers, drafted by the Connecticut Suns, stepped out on the red carpet carrying a classic white top-handle bag with the words “The WNBA Been Poppin” written across the front. She wrote the phrase on the bag with a marker, telling reporters, “It speaks for itself” and “It’s true.” Indeed, the league has long been a success, even if it’s only been recently that they’ve received more airtime, sponsorship, and promotion. (And we’re still waiting on an increase in the players’ salaries to match those of the men in the NBA:) Elsewhere on the fall 2025 runways, the best designers imbued real soul into their protest or political tees. Just take Ives’s “Protect The Dolls” shirt: “Dolls” is a loving term within the trans and LBGTQ+ communities, which are under attack by the current U.S. administration. We should protect them, and directly declaring you believe in doing so, while giving back to Trans Lifeline, is genuinely impactful.
But the statement clothing right now is more straightforward: It’s all about breaking through the digital noise with a very physical call to action. In an attention economy that is rife with chaotic communication, where it’s easy to access plenty of horrible messaging that shouldn’t be printed anywhere, truly great statement clothes can, in positive ways, provoke, inspire, and express by simply telling it like it is. Why put it in an Instagram caption and let the algorithm take the wheel when you could just wear it right?
Speaking of statement t-shirts, outside of the collections, let’s not forget about actor Pedro Pascal wearing his “Adult Content” printed tee on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier last month. The artist Pippa Garner made the design for the organization Mother, Daughter, Holy Spirit, which is working alongside the Trans Justice Funding Project. Several days ago, Pascal wore his own “Protect The Dolls” shirt during a red-carpet appearance for the Thunderbolts premiere in London.
There was also designer Willy Chavarria, who took a bow at his powerful Paris show in a t-shirt he created in collaboration with Tinder and the Human Rights Campaign, which read “How We Love Is Who We Are.” Patricio Campillo, another Mexican-American designer, closed his New York show wearing a shirt with the words “El Golfo de México.” Colleen Allen’s “Witch Camp” t-shirt will no doubt become a fashion fan girl favorite in the coming season, seance or not.
There will be plenty of other opportunities for celebrities and designers to get creative with the way they verbalize their politics, pursuits, personal feelings, and various projects in the coming months. And I feel, a statement on our clothes has to feel intentional, personal, and without a hint of bullshit because words can still wield a lot of power, especially when you wear them your own way.
(Pictures used in this post are for reference only, all copyrights belong to the respective owners of the images. Sources include but not limited to – google, IG, respective fashion magazines, fashion designers, editors, publishers, industry insiders, fashion models and fashion brands)
And that’s the end:)
