BENGALURU: Fashion has always been the best form of self expression. 2021 marks a new year, a new beginning and a relevant time to commit to fashion that is more about values we stand for rather than seeking external validation. Our fashion choices can be used as a great tool to make a statement. Clothes with a slogan or a catchy word can make us stand out and also stand up for something we believe in at the same time.
When Maria Grazia Chiuri played with the idea of the F-word in her debut as Dior’s creative head, her iconic ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ t-shirt went on to be the most Instagrammed look of spring/summer 2017, with celebrities like Anushka Sharma and Rihanna making a strong statement by sporting the du jour piece of the season.
Victor and Ralph at Paris Couture Week’19 showcased voluminous gowns that were on point, making strong statements with slogans like, ‘I’m not shy, I just don’t like you’ to ‘Sorry I’m late, I didn’t want to come’ placed big and bold across the ensemble. Slogans are a great device to express ourselves, our mood or our views without having to say a word.
Ushering in the year with a much relevant tagline ‘All you need is Love’ is brand Gulabo by Abu Sandeep. An exuberant ode to love, their signature gota appliqué work features bold sparkly love logos. The collection is a feast of colours and separates with attitude. After a year of sweatpants and PJs, this collection makes you want to wear your heart and bring back love into your wardrobe. Wearing logos or slogans also means you care less about the style or fit but more about what you stand for.
“They say you are what you eat but you are also what you wear,” says designer Palak Shah of Exhale Label, a brand that creates empowering garments to encourage conversation and awareness towards matters of the mind. Slogans on garments end up being a great outlet to express something without having to say anything at all! It ends up adding to your personality without trying to make a point.
In a lot of ways, it also ends up empowering the person viewing the garment and a lot of the times, even the wearer. Exhale has a tee that says ‘Survivor’ written backwards, where when one looks in the mirror, you can read the word right. A lot of people wore it for New Year Eve as pretty much everyone has survived getting through 2020! “The power that a slogan holds is rather underrated,” adds Palak.
Our world is constantly changing and with the younger generation, self expression is getting bolder and stronger by the day! They have a voice that is being used to communicate the most uncomfortable of topics. And here, conveying feelings via fashion adds so much more personality. Clothing with slogans are breaking a lot of mindsets and barriers and are going nowhere for the years to come!
When Maria Grazia Chiuri played with the F-word in her debut as Dior’s creative head,
her ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ t-shirt went on to be the most Instagrammed look of spring/summer 2017
(The writer is a lifestyle consultant and mindful fashion advocate)