Kamala Harris Has a Uniform That Works for Her

As Puck’s Lauren Sherman reported in her Line Sheet newsletter this week, the New York-based label Monse received over 800 pre-orders for their a-symmetrically tailored jacket after it was worn by Michelle Obama to deliver one of the most powerful speeches of the DNC. Obama, who works with stylist Meredith Koop, has always been a master at positioning American brands, both big and small, both high and low, on the main stages of the world.

She did it first with J.Crew and later, designers who at the time were still on-the-rise, like Jason Wu, and she did it all while still remaining authentically herself and true to her inherent sense of style. The point was actually never really about the look but instead, the idea that maybe, just maybe, her embrace of a certain label would help propel those businesses forward from the bottom up, from the seamstresses to the factories, to the people working behind-the-scenes in the studios and ateliers. An American first lady supporting the American fashion industry. And yes, she was First Lady, an entirely different job in which women don’t often get a voice so they often have to use clothes to speak about their policies and beliefs.

Because women in global leadership positions can change an industry. Just as so many spoke about during the entirety of the DNC, it’s about focusing on those working in American factories, on the ground, it’s about productivity. If “show, don’t tell” is something that Harris really believes in, then she could take more of a nuanced approach in terms of the designers she chooses to wear. Unfortunately, her appearance and her clothes will be scrutinized. So why not pick out something to wear from Sergio Hudson or Christopher John Rogers again? Maybe a jacket from Willy Chavarria or Khaite or Rachel Comey. Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, and Adam Lippes all make beautiful tailoring that befits a commander-in-chief. What an American designer’s version of a Harris suit would do is inspire people to Google those designers’ names, discover their Instagram feeds, shop for their clothes, and pour money back into their independent companies, large or small.

Fashion, as a very famous designer once told me, is not a light industry in America, so we should never treat it like one. America has always played second fiddle to the high fashion houses of Europe and by Harris not choosing to wear designers from her home country perpetuates that messaging in a way. No matter the price tag on the garment, if it’s made here, it’s made by Americans, and that’s who Harris was addressing last night.

There is a fight ahead for Democrats, and this week’s DNC undoubtedly showed that Harris is up for the job, no matter how she chooses to dress. It should also be said that she’s just getting started and she’ll have plenty of time in the White House to try different labels in her repertoire if she chooses. Whatever her decisions are though, it’s most important that they are in fact, hers. In the spirit of all she stands for, here’s hoping that soon she’ll don some American designers between now and November. That’s the strength of wearing and doing.

Brooke Bobb is the fashion news director at Harper’s Bazaar, working across print and digital platforms. Previously, she was a senior content editor at Amazon Fashion, and worked at Vogue Runway as senior fashion news writer.