On Friday, Kamala Harris made history, first and foremost with the story of her upbringing, her desire to live in an America that gives opportunities to all its citizens and her sweeping message of a redefined freedom. And with her clothes . As the first South Asian and black woman candidate for President of the United States, she demonstrated a new picture of authority.
She wore an ensemble you might consider her comfort suit, because she wears the shade and silhouette often: a square-shouldered, loose-legged pantsuit in navy, with the kind of matte silk pussy bow blouse she’s made into a signature. An American flag pin was on her slightly broad lapel. The subdued tone allowed the women in the audience who chose to wear white in honour of her candidacy to pop – it was an act of sartorial graciousness.
The brand behind the look was Chloe, a playfully confident, feminine brand based in Paris. Harris seems to have formed a bond with it: Chloe made the brown suit she wore on Monday, and her gown for the Kenya state dinner in May. Since late last year, Chloe has been under the creative control of Chemena Kamali, a German designer whose first collection revisited the carefree, insouciant attitude of 1970s Bohemianism.
There are lots of ruffles, but they are not the stuff of tortured poets. They are worn with chin held proudly high, as if to say, “If you think my interest in frilly stuff means I’m silly, then you’re fooling yourself”. Harris will get flack for not weari.
