Haute-couteur or just haughty? I doubt that this will earn Obama any votes in Ohio or Michigan, in fact it’s likely to do the inverse but the Obama campaign is working with 20 high-end fashion designers to offer up-scale fashion gear. Safe to say, this campaign is out of touch and more laughable by the minute. With this, any notion of hitting John McCain as not representing the interests of average Americans goes out the window.
From the New York Daily News:
Forget buttons and bumper stickers.
Barack Obama’s team is taking campaign merchandising to a whole new level – with the help of a few handpicked supporters from the New York fashion world.
Some of the country’s biggest style stars, including Isaac Mizrahi, Derek Lam, Tracy Reese, Diane von Furstenberg and Russell Simmons, clamored to create signature items. From T-shirts to tote bags, the items will be available on the campaign’s Web site next month.
Simmons, who will appear at the Democratic convention in Denver on Monday, crafted a tee that says, “America deserves better.”
“The shirt that I designed was just simple,” he says. “It’s very clear – the meaning is obvious. Sen. Obama, in my opinion, represents better.”
The collaboration is an unprecedented political show of support from New York’s high-profile fashion industry. Designers were given permission to use Obama’s image and logo – and volunteered for the project.
“I feel that there’s an opportunity for a lot of people not involved in the political process to make a difference,” said Simmons, who got on board after being approached by Obama’s staffers.
Don’t expect the new line to come with a designer price tag.
Reese, whose original piece – a glamorous $400 silk Georgette dress designed with Michelle Obama in mind – was rejected, opted instead for an $80 appliqué T-shirt.
“I’m passionate about this candidate. I knew I needed to be participating and not just watching and hoping for the best,” she told The Washington Post.
Other designers are recent converts.
Von Furstenberg supported Hillary Clinton during the primaries, but reportedly turned to Obama after reading his autobiography.
About 20 designers, all members of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, are reportedly lending their talents to the Obama campaign.
To think that I thought John Kerry aloof and effete. Obama is rewriting the very definition of out of touch. I can only say that with friends like these, who needs enemies? While Obama skirts to Project Runway, McCain is ironing out policies to help average Americans.