People will talk when a well-known politician attends the Met Gala in a floor-length white gown with the slogan “tax the rich” printed in large red letters on the back. Talking to people is something that Canadian fashion designer Aurora James is really good at. James, the creator of the lifestyle and accessory business Brother Vellies, is a lover of Beyoncé, Meghan Markle, and Rihanna. Furthermore, she leverages her power in the fashion industry to effect genuine change, such as providing craftsmen with a livable salary and pressuring big-box stores to carry more merchandise from Black-owned companies. James discussed her new memoir, Wildflower, with Q’s Tom Power and thought back to her childhood in.
“I think for me it was, ‘OK, this is one of the largest fashion stages in the world, right? This is a brilliant woman who has very specific messages that she puts out into the world, and very specific ways of thinking,'” James told Power.
“As a designer, I always ask myself, ‘How can I help this person show up as the truest and best version of themselves based on where they’re going?’ And I applied that same line of thinking with the congresswoman and decided that it made sense for her to bring a message into the room that she really kind of speaks to all the time…. It’s important to show up as yourself in every room that you enter.”
For Ocasio-Cortez, it was an exciting risk worth taking.
“In life, we can show up and take risks to try to continue to stand up for what we believe in or we can take the easy road, you know, and just sit at the table and be comfortable,” said James. “But, I think, ultimately, when you’re a politician and you’re given a seat at the table, it’s also your responsibility to continue asking tough questions.
“Fashion at its best sparks conversation and the dress definitely did that. Joe Biden was literally on TV the next day talking about, you know, the ultra-rich and their contributions. And I think in terms of the congresswoman, like, that’s kind of her goal — so mission accomplished. Are there people who are going to be upset? Absolutely. And I think that people get even more upset when they see two women of colour being really brazen and speaking out about things. And, you know, I definitely felt the impact of that.”
