Fascism and Fashion.
As Donald Trump took his place as President of the US once again, endless clips and pictures of Melania Trump flooded my Twitter/X time line (mostly due to the hat being a meme). She was styled by Adam Lippes, a designer who’s worked for Oscar de la Renta and is also known for dressing the previous First Ladies such as Michelle Obama and Jill Biden (talk about a political portfolio). While looking through tags and visiting pages on “fashiontwt” it is not uncommon to see political figures as of course, high fashion houses have been dressing them for decades. After all, the “Jackie” bag by Gucci is named after Jackie Kennedy, as is the “Lady Dior” bag by Dior being inspired by and created for Princess Diana.
While the fashion world has distanced itself from the fascist symbolism after WWII, the remnant of militaristic aesthetic and authoritative iconography tied to fascism remains. In the year 2025, where fascism is on the rise, it is no surprise that many luxury fashion houses seem to be rather passive in their dismissal of wanting certain political members to wear their clothing.
During WWII, in the 1930s and 1940s, Nazi Germany used fashion as a powerful tool for political propaganda. The SS uniforms, famously created and designed by SS officers Karl Diebitsch and Hugo Boss, served more than just functional. The brown shirts of the SA (Sturmabteilung) and the black SS uniforms became symbols of Nazi power, with sharp, clean lines thanks to modern tailoring - the fascist symbolism created an eerie sense of elegance but most of all, intimidation that spoke to a sense of order and control.
After the war, this style eventually was used as the basis for many types of fetish wear and was adopted in early underground BDSM communities. The term “Nazi chic” specifically refers to elements of the black SS officer’s uniform, particularly the elements like the leather boots, military blazers and peaked cap, rather than the entire ensemble together. This also began to emerge in the heavy metal, punk and other alternative rock movements in the 1970s.
A total disclaimer: I’m not suggesting that Nazi ideology has any connection to the heavy metal and punk scenes; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. To be punk and alternative is to be anti-establishment and more important, against fascism. In the 70s, punks and punk bands rallied against actual Nazi parties, such as the National Front, under the slogan “Rock Against Racism.” This discussion is purely about style and fashion influences across different eras.
At the height of the punk movement in the ‘70s, the likes of designer Vivienne Westwood, lead singer of Sex Pistols - Sid Vicious and Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie and the Banshees were all seen publicly wearing swastikas. However, in these scenes, Nazi iconography is used for shock value and is intentionally appropriated not to support these ideologies and right-wing sentiments, but rather to rise and challenge the authority of these organisations. Siouxsie in an interview with MAGNET magazine in 2007 stated that “Well, wearing the swastika back then was certainly not meant to be a political statement – It was just a way to piss off the older generation.”
Exploring the dark and deeper psychological themes related to power, domination and sexuality, Nazi imagery became a provocative tool in fashion. As mentioned, the militaristic style was co-opted by BDSM communities and other counter-cultures of the ‘70s and went further to portrayal in films. In the infamously and the controversial, 1974 Nazi sexploitation film The Night Porter by Director Liliana Cavani, which portrays a sadomasochistic relationship between a former concentration camp survivor, Lucia and her SS officer-turned-hotel porter, Max. In the most iconic scene of the film, Lucia is performing a Marlene Dietrich song for a group of guards while wearing black tailored slacks, long black opera-length gloves on her arms (also black), and braces that barely cover her bare chest, capped off with an SS guard’s hat on her head.
The influence of The Night Porter on later pop culture and high fashion is undeniable. In the ‘90s, Madonna’s music video for Justify My Love was banned in many countries for its display of sexual themes, and in the video, Madonna’s outfit copies the fetishistic elements of Lucia’s in The Night Porter. Similarly, in her music video LoveGame, Lady Gaga also drew the same inspiration.
Gareth Pugh’s AW17 collection was heavily Night Porter-inspired, with structured black leather trenches, leather gloves, bondage-style dresses, guard caps and all. But the message behind it was one of resilience under the current political climate. Moschino Men’s AW18 collection also took inspiration, which showcased a series of models as dominatrix, dressed in long black coats, gimp masks and one model dressed eerily like Lucia, leather guard cap and all.
The direct connection to the Nazi regime and WWII in high fashion, goes beyond just aesthetics and looks. The likes of Cristóbal Balenciaga had controversially created a wedding dress for the granddaughter of Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator who was an ally of Hitler during the war. Though he wasn’t considered to be a direct collaborator, Christian Dior continued to work for high-ranking Nazi officers’ wives and mistresses and was one of his best clients during the war.
Lastly, who could forget the most infamous of them all, Coco Chanel – while a pioneer in Western fashion, she had Nazi affiliations throughout WWII and proudly so. Chanel was known to have maintained a relationship with a high-ranking Nazi officer and was even accused of using her connections to attempt to seize control of her rival’s business, Maison Wertheimer.
Luxury fashion has often been linked to some disturbing parts of the 20th-century political sphere; however, they are not the only ones affected by fascism on the rise. Recently, the controversial fast fashion company Pretty Little Thing went through a huge rebrand, leaving behind the flashy and bold club wear for a more minimalist, “clean girl” aesthetic. Complete with a new logo and collection of clothing filled with neutral tones—blacks, whites, beige and browns—to embody a more “chic”, everyday vibe. On the surface, this shift seems like a normal and I suppose a positive step in a more “mature” direction for the brand, focusing on versatility regarding the use of garments. But let’s be honest, we all know how this goes.
The fashion industry has always mirrored the cultural shifts in society, these changes (unfortunately) are a direct response to the political climate and the rise of more conservative ideologies. Going back to the fact that Trump has been re-elected and within the UK and other parts of Europe, right-wing parties have seen notable support from the public. This coupled with the fact that a possibility of a recession hangs above everyone’s head – It is common knowledge that during a financial crisis, the need to spend money on tonnes of unique clothing isn’t the first thing on people’s minds, so out with the bright and vibrant colours, experimental styles in-exchange for practical and modest pieces instead.
You’re wondering what this has to do with PLT. Well, just like every other fast-fashion brand, it copies whatever the luxury brands seem to be doing. The clean girl aesthetic, minimalist make-up thanks to the popularity of brands like Rhode by Hailey Bieber, and the craze that was Sofia Richie’s “quiet luxury” (she was wearing Chanel.) style with white button down and blue jeans, clothing that you can wear at your day job and the club (very 2010s) were further seen in collections like AW25 Stella McCartney, has been described in Vogue as “80s Working Girl meets 2020s oversized blazer-wearing millennial office worker”.
This is why this rebrand in particular feels like cosplay similar to the “trad-wives” on TikTok wearing floral printed dresses from H&M while baking cookies and talking about their latest sponsors all while trying to embody the ‘50s housewife aesthetic.
To simply put: conservative beliefs are popular (agh!) especially online and this is a clear indicator of the awful political climate that we are in. The possible recession, the return to the beauty standards of the early 00s even the new PLT collection and the constant rehashing of ‘80s, ‘90s and now the ‘00s nostalgia in pop culture. And fashion reflects that broader culture, and it trickles down to what consumers see on their feed. People now seek – now more than ever thanks to the internet – a lifestyle that they probably can’t afford but desire to embody through their fashion choices and brands like PLT capitalise on that desire by making cheaper copies. In many ways the thought process of what a piece of clothing means gets lost. PLT and many other brands alike have made their fortune and notoriety due to online spaces; it is not at all surprising that they are following suit of what is around them.
In the end, fashion, like politics, is a mirror of society – reflecting both our aspirations and our anxieties. The rise of minimalist aesthetics in fast fashion brands like PLT, alongside the resurgence of right-wing politics, indicates a larger cultural shift that taps into a longing for simplicity (of the past in many ways) and uniformity in times of uncertainty. As history has shown us, when political ideologies shift, so too does the way we dress. Fashion has often been a tool for conformity, but it has also been a tool for rebellion, and it will continue to be so.
While luxury brands might distance themselves from being overtly political, the broader fashion industry continues to be deeply intertwined with the socio-political landscape. Whether it’s the ethical considerations behind the fast fashion model or the subliminal messaging hidden in the design choices of runway collections, what we wear has never been just about personal style. It’s about what we choose to project to the world and, in many cases, what we passively accept.
By Reenad Afzal for issue 2 of The Grey.