The Role of Fashion in Social Movements: Clothing as a Language of Resistance and Change
Session
Integrated Design
Description
Fashion has long functioned as more than an aesthetic expression; it is a social language that communicates identity, values, and resistance. Within social movements, clothing becomes a medium through which political messages are articulated and solidarity is visually expressed. This paper explores the intersection between fashion and social activism by examining how dress has historically and contemporarily served as a tool for mobilization, visibility, and cultural transformation. Through case studies including the Suffragette movement, the Black Panther Party, and feminist activism in the 21st century, this research demonstrates that fashion operates as a form of symbolic resistance and collective identity formation. The paper also addresses the paradox of the commercialization of activism in contemporary fashion and reflects on how digital culture amplifies political expression through dress. In parallel, the paper highlights how in the Balkans — particularly among Albanians — clothing has embodied resilience and defiance, from traditional garments like the xhubleta and plis that preserved identity under foreign rule, to contemporary designers who reinterpret heritage as an act of cultural and political renewal.
Keywords:
Fashion activism; social movements; clothing and resistance; identity politics; visual culture; symbolic communication; feminist fashion; digital activism; Albanian traditional dress; Balkan cultural identity; heritage and modernity; political expression
Proceedings Editor
Edmond Hajrizi
ISBN
978-9951-982-41-2
Location
UBT Lipjan, Kosovo
Start Date
25-10-2025 9:00 AM
End Date
26-10-2025 6:00 PM
DOI
10.33107/ubt-ic.2025.188
Recommended Citation
Statovci, Aferdita, "The Role of Fashion in Social Movements: Clothing as a Language of Resistance and Change" (2025). UBT International Conference. 1.
https://knowledgecenter.ubt-uni.net/conference/2025UBTIC/ID/1
The Role of Fashion in Social Movements: Clothing as a Language of Resistance and Change
UBT Lipjan, Kosovo
Fashion has long functioned as more than an aesthetic expression; it is a social language that communicates identity, values, and resistance. Within social movements, clothing becomes a medium through which political messages are articulated and solidarity is visually expressed. This paper explores the intersection between fashion and social activism by examining how dress has historically and contemporarily served as a tool for mobilization, visibility, and cultural transformation. Through case studies including the Suffragette movement, the Black Panther Party, and feminist activism in the 21st century, this research demonstrates that fashion operates as a form of symbolic resistance and collective identity formation. The paper also addresses the paradox of the commercialization of activism in contemporary fashion and reflects on how digital culture amplifies political expression through dress. In parallel, the paper highlights how in the Balkans — particularly among Albanians — clothing has embodied resilience and defiance, from traditional garments like the xhubleta and plis that preserved identity under foreign rule, to contemporary designers who reinterpret heritage as an act of cultural and political renewal.