The inauguration marked a new dawn for America… you can tell from the clothes

The carefully considered, colourful ensembles that walked into Washington yesterday were a sign of things to come, says Chloe Street
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Chloe Street22 January 2021

Fashion is an incredibly powerful tool through which to communicate allegiances and beliefs; and the contrast between the clothes that walked out of the White House yesterday and those that walked in could not have been starker.   

Melania Trump departed the Capitol looking typically high-gloss in a black Chanel jacket and Dolce & Gabbana dress, accessorised with an Hermes alligator handbag, sky-high Louboutins. Not only did the departing FLOTUS swerve wearing an American designer for her last day in the White House, but everything about the look, and particularly the giant black sunglasses, felt unapproachable and unattainable– not least thanks to the outfit cost, which would have been tens of thousands of dollars. 

And was the black a show of mourning? Or was she just delighted not to have to worry about wearing bright camera-ready colours anymore?  

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Regardless, the whole thing stood in sharp relief to the ensembles that walked into Washington later that day, which were carefully considered, colourful and uplifting; a clear sign of things to come.   

Both Dr. Jill Biden and Kamala Harris arrived in Washington wearing lesser-known independent labels; First Lady Biden in a full purple ensemble by Jonathan Cohen, a New York-based designer known for his sustainable credentials, and Vice President Harris in a camel coat from Pyer Moss, a label founded black Haitian-American designer Kerby Jean-Raymond. 

Harris’s choice was particularly significant given that during the pandemic, Jean-Raymond transformed his New York studio into a donation centre and gave $5,000 towards PPE and also raised $50,000 in grants for minority and female-owned independent businesses hit hard by Covid.  

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Even Joe Biden broke from the tradition of Presidents wearing Brooks Brothers suits (41 of the last 45 presidents have done, including Barack Obama and Trump) instead opting for all-American Ralph Lauren. The message was clear: this was an administration that was going to do things differently, and thoughtfully.   

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It’s noteworthy that both women used the historic moment to platform emerging, black and eco-conscious designers at a time when the pandemic has caused smaller labels to suffer enormously. The recurrence of purple ensembles, also worn by their close friends Michelle Obama in a purplish-raspberry look from up-and-coming black American designer Sergio Hudson and Hilary Clinton in a violet suit and matching scarf, was also significant. As a blend of Republican red and Democratic blue, the prevalence of purple sent a clear sartorial signal that the Biden administration was here to heal a divided America.    

Later taking to the stage to give his inaugural address, the newly elected President Joe Biden announced his “whole soul” was dedicated to “Bringing America together. Uniting our people. Uniting our nation.”  

Yesterday marked the dawn of an exciting new chapter in American history, but I could have told you that from the clothes.  

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