Politics in the fashion industry: Phillip Lim and Prabal Gurung are fighting xenophobia

Asian-American designers Phillip Lim and Prabal Gurung are using their clothes to fight the growing wave of xenophobia related to coronavirus and helping victims of the pandemic.

Phillip Lim and Prabal Gurung are among the fashion brands that are sending the proceeds from the sale of clothes to All Americans Movement, a company that helps marginalized groups affected by a coronavirus. Some political leaders call COVID-19 a "Chinese virus." Phillip Lim claims that such statements have a toxic effect on people. "It is frustrating to watch the leaders of this country blatantly gaslight the American public with this type of xenophobic rhetoric," he said.

Prabal Gurung agrees with his colleague. "Assigning a race to this virus is exactly the type of misinformation we have to fight against to ensure we are well informed," Gurung said.

The designer had previously stated his political views during the fashion shows. In March 2020, his models appeared on the runway wearing T-shirts with slogans such as "The future is female" and "Our bodies, our choices, our power" and "I am an immigrant".

It seems like the emergence of political views in fashion marks a new era. "Don't make problems and ignore racism so that it will just go away; it's so ingrained in our subconscious as a means of survival. In our current situation, that mentality has the opposite effect. Being quiet strips away your right for a voice and it takes away the opportunity to be seen," Phillip Lim said.

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