War: What a rort emblazoned across her chest. 3d flower headpiece reminiscent of a 60’s flower child. A Peace symbol pendant. This young activist chooses to wear her heart on her sleeves - literally.
Jessy, 21, says “I picked this shirt cause I genuinely agree with the message,” and has tapped into a trend that is set to explode as consumers search for fashion making a social statement.
Ben Rattray, CEO of change.org predicted social activism will explode across the internet in 2010 onwards. Understandably so - our lives have become saturated with online social-media platforms. Online tools have become the roots of social change and everyone wants to be apart of them. The world is seeing a wave of uprisings, protests and revolutions: Arab dictators swept away, public spaces occupied, slum-dwellers in revolt, cyberspace buzzing with utopian dreams.
Think Occupy Wall street or Kony 2012. It is now not only cool, but expected of youth to take some sort of social stand. TBWAWorldwide shows that in 2011, 70% of young American adults considered themselves social activists. And this has filtered down to the very threads adorning many a young street styler. WGSN (2012) describes the consumer trend ‘Give-a-nomics’; trending towards purchasing that allows the consumer to give to charity and aid. Retailer FishEddy (New York) recently decked out their window display in Occupy Wall street style visual merchandising. We are now seeing these translated into not only single garments but entire outfits like Jessy’s 60’s activist inspired ensemble. Outfit’s, moreover, put together for a real social point and purpose.
Photos by Laura Evans
Photos by Laura Evans
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