PROTEST x FASHION
Inflatable suits of frogs in the Portland protests, dressing up like Pikachu amid ongoing protests in Turkey, and umbrellas, keffiyehs, and colorful facemasks on the streets of Hong Kong, Brussels, and Lagos: fashion is an integral part of protests.
Fashion serves different purposes in protests. In the 1960s, the Black Panthers introduced their black leather jackets, berets, and sunglasses as representations of unity and discipline in the face of systemic oppression.
The diverse range of inflatable suits in Portland takes a different approach, showing that the protesters are individuals who share common values.
Innovations also lead to new fashion. To counter advanced technologies such as drones, facial recognition, and sound weapons, wearable technologies are significantly enhancing protest safety.
With protests globally on the rise, how will fashion evolve?
In this workshop, we speculate about the future of protest fashion. Together, we will imagine the future of protests and design for it.
This workshop is organized by Speculative Futures Maastricht, in collaboration with Limestone Bookshop, FASHIONCLASH, and Viewmaster Projects.
Speculative Futures Maastricht is the Maastricht chapter of the Speculative Futures global community. An initiative of the Resiliant Designresearch group, Wondermash and Studio Hyperspace.
