New York Fashion Week opens with a call to action from Jill Biden

In addition to Biden, numerous well-known US fashion designers, including Thom Browne, Michael Kors and Tory Burch, spoke to around a thousand fashion industry insiders.

The “Fashion for our Future” march was organized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for the first day of the week-long fashion event, which will showcase looks for the upcoming Spring/Summer 2025 season.

The march took place in front of the windows of the flagship Macy's department store in the heart of Manhattan and was intended to be non-partisan.

However, the surprise presence of the Democratic First Lady – whose appearance had not been announced – sent a clear message.

“Freedoms”

“I know you value your freedom to make your own choices, to be who you are, to love who you love… your freedom of creative expression,” Biden said to applause from the crowd.

“These freedoms are threatened by court decisions, book bans and apathetic shrugging of the shoulders when people forget the power of choice,” she said.

Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump will run in the US presidential election scheduled for November 5.

Jill Biden's husband, US President Joe Biden, was considered the Democratic candidate until he dropped out of the race on July 21 and gave his support to his vice president.

“So let’s remember: The next president, your next president, will probably appoint new justices to the Supreme Court,” the First Lady said.

“Your next senators will confirm you and our children and grandchildren will have to live with the consequences.”

Before the march, Jill Biden attended the Ralph Lauren fashion show on Thursday evening and paid tribute to Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine and high priestess of the US fashion industry.

Wintour featured Jill Biden on the cover of the magazine's August issue and organized several fundraisers for the Democratic Party.

Democratic “bubble”

While major brands advertise their open-mindedness, they generally stay out of political disputes in the United States for fear of being targeted by one camp or the other.

A counterexample occurred in February 2017, shortly after the election of former US President Donald Trump. That year, New York Fashion Week took a much harsher tone against the Republican billionaire. Several shows denounced his immigration policies and defended abortion and women's health care.

“We are in the bubble of the bubble of the bubble,” joked Ulrich Grimm, an accessory designer and professor at the prestigious Parsons School of Design, who was among the protesters on Friday.

“We are in New York,” he continued, referring to the city's status as a Democratic stronghold, “and we are fashionable.”

But alongside him, designer Joy Gryson also said she was concerned about the freedom of “every woman, every person of color, every LGBTQ person.”

Nearly one hundred fashion brands will present their Spring/Summer 2025 collections at New York Fashion Week, including many up-and-coming talents and some heavyweights like Tommy Hilfiger.