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Fashion as a tool of protest and reflection of its time
Fashion as a mirror and a message
Clothing has become more than protection or decoration, it is a way to express who we are. The way people dress often reflects their identity, their values, and social status. But fashion can also be a message, a reaction, or even a weapon.
Over the centuries, clothes have helped people either show resistance, call for justice, or break the rules. Women have struggled to be allowed to wear trousers like their male counterparts. Certain styles become symbols of freedom or rebellion. For instance, in the 1960s, many young people wore colourful, loose clothes displaying slogans (Peace and love ; Flower power, etc…) to protest war and promote peace. In the 2020s, the “black hoodie” became a symbol of protest against police violence in the U.S.
However, fashion changes with society. It reacts to political events, economic crises, or cultural revolutions and conveys messages. It can make invisible people visible and give a voice to those who are not heard. Designers, artists of all sorts, and individuals all use clothing to support a cause or fight against stereotypes.
Thus, fashion becomes a living archive of emotions, conflicts, and revolutions. It can challenge what is considered “normal” and invite people to imagine new ways of being.
Vivienne Westwood and the punk revolution
In the 1970s, British designer Vivienne Westwood became one of the most important figures in alternative fashion. With musician Malcolm McLaren, she opened a London shop that would become the core of the punk movement.
Punk fashion was not smart or traditional, it was loud, rebellious, and provocative. Torn clothes, safety-pins, leather jackets, bold slogans, and anarchist symbols became visual weapons against the system. Westwood’s designs shocked the public and rejected the clean, polite image of mainstream fashion.
But being punk was not just a trend, it was a political statement. In a time of social crisis in the UK (unemployment, class tension, youth frustration), Westwood used fashion to say : “We don’t accept the rules“. Her clothes expressed anger, independence, and a desire to destroy outdated values.
Through her work, Westwood proved that fashion can be radical. She showed that a T-shirt could be as powerful as a speech. Even after punk, she continued to use her art to talk about climate change, human rights, and anti-consumerism.
Vivienne Westwood’s legacy reminds us that clothes can do more than follow trends, they can challenge power, create dialogue, and carry the voice of a generation.
