Runway To Win, A Fashion Campaign For Obama Reelection, Underway
It's no secret that the Obamas, specifically the Obama women, love fashion. But the love runs both ways: fashion loves the Obamas.
As the 2012 election kicks into high gear, fashion's elite have made their support for President Obama's reelection official with a new campaign called Runway to Win.
Announced quietly on BarackObama.com's blog last week, the campaign is described as a "collaboration by some of the country's top fashion designers in support of Obama 2012" wherein designers like Tracy Reese and Jason Wu will create "Obama-inspired designs."
As Women's Wear Daily notes, it's a new twist on a similar campaign launched in 2008, called Runway to Change (the tweak of one word, we think, speaks volumes as to the difference between this Obama campaign and last). For the former campaign, designers created inauguration swag such as tee-shirts and tote bags.
Some of the designers involved in Runway to Change are back for this year's Runway to Win project. WWD writes that Tory Burch, Joseph Altuzarra, Rag & Bone, Tracy Reese, Diane von Furstenberg and FLOTUS faves including Marc Jacobs, Narciso Rodriguez, Jason Wu, Alexander Wang, Rachel Roy and Tracy Reese will all contribute designs.
As for what those designs look like? Based on the Runway to Change products, it doesn't seem like the gear is all too fancy or "designer." Think canvas totes, graphic tees and the like.
More remarkable than the products is the statement it makes, as industry heavyweights throw their support behind Obama four years later. WWD notes that public support for Obama met a bit more resistance in the industry this year, as LVMH hesitated before getting involved (Republicans, after all, love luxury goods as much as the next voter).
But it was LVMH-backed Marc Jacobs, reportedly with a push from Vogue, who got the ball rolling with his new tee-shirt design. After all, Vogue and Anna Wintour has been one of Obama's most unwavering high-profile supporters. The editor-in-chief has thrown the president multiple fundraising dinners, including an intimate $35,800-a-head dinner this summer.
Read more at WWD.com and head to RunwayToWin.com and sign up to get "first access" to details on the campaign.
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The Huffington Post Ellie Krupnick First Posted: 01/09/2012 7:47 am Updated: 01/09/2012 1:18 pm