Donald Trump has become an unwitting fashion influencer

There’s many things that Donald Trump saw himself becoming but style influencer is probably not one of them.

Make no mistake. It’s not the 71-year-old’s penchant for oversized suits and red ties that have transformed him into an icon.

It’s his sexist behaviour towards women.

Huh? we can hear you asking. Well, think about it this way. Fashion is influenced by the wider world including what’s going on in politics.

When Donald Trump’s disrespectful comments towards women became public knowledge, designers started taking notice.

Leading trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort claims that the President is having a major impact on macro trend. A macro trend results in micro trends which are then taken by designers and used as themes for their collections.

In fact, Vero Moda’s trend and colour manager, Annika Moller Henry, went so far as to say that Trump “became a catalyst for women’s emancipation, circa 2017.”

His triumph resulted in clothes that really allow a woman to feel free and powerful; think the resurgence of 80s power suits or the fact that pink is now the colour to be seen in.

Over the past couple of seasons starting from when Trump came into power, the catwalks debuted padded shoulders, power suits and big big sleeves over and over again.

The likes of Dries Van Noten and Céline sent out loose-fitting power suits that were almost man-repelling in their nature. Acting like armour for a woman’s body, the designs said that their wearer was not merchandise to be touched.

The pink so loved by most women in their youth also gained popularity. Seen all over the 2016 Women’s March, it came in hot or sickly sweet hues on the catwalk with each design proclaiming the same message: we are proud to be women.

Christopher Kane, Molly Goddard, Erdem, Gucci and Fendi all sent out the ‘girly’ shade. Was it a middle finger to Trump and the derogatory comments that had permeated society? Many remained quiet about their intentions.

Others went one step further, mocking Trump’s campaign slogans (and therefore his character). Public School turned the President’s ‘Make America Great Again’ line into ‘Make America New York’; a play on words that promoted equality, diversity and acceptance.

The Americana theme continued with the US flag and stereotypical staples like cowboy boots and chequered shirts cropping up over and over again.

As a new wave of sexual harassment allegations seems to hit almost every day, the fashion world shows no signs of stopping the equality movement.

Let’s hope Donald Trump’s fashion influence lives on.

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