It’s easy to write fashion off as superficial and apolitical, but the reality is people have been using clothing as a medium to express ideas for centuries. Case in point: Opening Ceremony, who last night got political in a very literal way by staging a show in tribute to “the American democratic process and the diversity of those who participate in it”. 

“On the surface, fashion has little to do with politics,” said designers Carol Lim and Humberto Leon in their show notes. “Yet when we get dressed, we make decisions about which aspects of ourselves to present to the world. When we asked our friends about the issues that matter to them... we were struck by how many of them hinged on the ability to express one’s identity freely.”

These friends include Carrie Brownstein, Fred Armisen, Alia Shawkat, Aubrey Plaza, Natasha Lyonne, Rashida Jones, Rowan Blanchard, and Whoopi Goldberg (all of whom starred in Kenzo’s AW16 campaign film, except for Brownstein who directed it). Hosted by Brownstein and Armisen, the show saw these women speak on a subject of their choice – Blanchard discussed feminism, while others chose hard-hitting topics such as immigration, police brutality and economic inequality. 

It finished with each of them giving a reason why Americans should vote on election day on November – “You should vote because if you don’t, you can’t bitch,” said Goldberg. She’s got a point.