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With just 45 days until the presidential election, brands are starting to turn up the volume on their pre-November 5 involvement.
Tuesday, September 17, was National Voter Registration Day, and I Am A Voter (IAAV) — the nonpartisan organization founded by Mandana Dayani, Natalie Tran and Tiffany Bensley in 2018 — partnered with a number of brands to mark the occasion.
Away turned all 15 of its stores into voter registration hubs. In addition, it debuted branded luggage co-created with the organization, which Halle Berry posed with on her Instagram (8.9 million followers). The luggage, pictured below, is not actually for sale, but rather meant to “inspire and remind community members that being a traveler and their journey to cast their vote this year go hand in hand,” said Jennifer Rubio, CEO and co-founder of Away.
On or around September 17, several partner brands released for-sale merchandise from which a percentage of the proceeds would be given back to IAAV. These included Everlane, Kenneth Cole, The Great, Michael Stars, Petite Plume, Social Goods and Ripley Rader.
Such collaborations are generally not driven by sales goals, but rather by the fact that — more than ever — customers are looking to give their money to brands that align with their values. Dayani pointed to the statistic from 5WPR’s 2020 Consumer Culture Report that 83% of young people want brands to align with their values.
“Brands sharing their values in some way or another is important. For many of us, brands have become an extension of our identity and our values,” Dayani said. “And when we do invest in a brand, we want to know that it stands for something.”
I Am A Voter takes a nonpartisan stance, even when working with industries like fashion that have historically been relatively unafraid to lean left. “One of the biggest barriers to voters is not having enough information, feeling unprepared or constantly being targeted with misinformation,” Dayani explained. “[People] don’t need another voice or another brand telling them how they should think. … Our biggest goal is to have higher voter turnout because that is how we believe democracy was meant to function.”
Of Away’s participation, Rubio said, “Civic participation is integral to being an engaged citizen. Democracy works best when we all participate, so we’re using our platform to encourage every voice to be heard.”
At Away’s one-day activations, over 1,000 customers checked their voter’s status or registered to vote. “Many [visitors] believed they were registered but had recently moved or changed their address and needed to update their information. They were grateful for our participation, providing them with that in-person nudge [to get set up correctly].”
Social Goods, which exclusively sells clothing that gives back to nonprofits, began creating merch with I Am A Voter in 2020, driven by its connections to celebrities and culture, said co-founder Lisa Sokolov. The companies will drop more collaborative merch at the start of next month.
And The Great has partnered with the organization for the seventh time this year. “We’re honored to be able to share their mission through our product and community,” said Meritt Elliott, co-founder of The Great. This election season, the company is selling made-in-America tee shirts for $105, donating $50 of each to IAAV.
First-time brands joining the initiative this year included pajama brand Petite Plume, which created children’s and adults’ pajama sets ($68 and $104, respectively) for the partnership. Twenty percent of the sets’ sales will be donated to I Am A Voter. “It’s an important cause to our founder and CEO, Emily Hikade, not only because of her background working for the government, but also because she’s traveled extensively and [knows] that having access to voting in free and fair elections is a privilege,” said the brand’s CMO, Fanny Quehe. Hikade started Petite Plume while working as an undercover CIA officer.
The brand has launched a “Pajamas to the Polls” campaign promoting the PJ sets and is encouraging its customers to vote. “We want to demystify the voting process and remind everyone of the importance of having your voice heard,” Quehe said. “Voting in America can feel overwhelming, but I Am A Voter makes it much easier. Until Election Day, the brand’s landing page will feature the pajamas.
“At that [Vogue x CFDA march in September], Jill Biden said that, with the clothes you wear, you can make a statement without saying a word. That was powerful to us,” Sokolov said.
Outside of I Am A Voter partnerships, Clare V is selling a T-shirt with French text reading “I vote, you vote, we vote”($100), from which 30% of proceeds go to When We All Vote, the nonpartisan initiative founded by Michelle Obama. And, in mid-August, 16 designers, including Thom Browne, Ulla Johnson and Tory Burch, partnered with Kamala Harris to create exclusive merch in support of the democratic candidate’s campaign.
“I Am A Voter’s mission is in their name — and [wearing its products] is about identifying as a voter. … It’s the pride you feel getting to wear your ‘I Voted’ sticker. [Since you can’t wear] your sticker every day, you can supplement that with styles that make a statement,” Sokolov said.
Aldo teams with WNBA star Diamond DeShields for extended sizing
For the first time, Aldo is offering an assortment of shoes in women’s sizes 11-13. To debut the assortment, it tapped Diamond DeShields (100,000 Instagram followers), shooting guard for the Chicago Sky, to curate 12 of her favorite fall styles in various colorways, each featuring Aldo’s innovative Pillow Walk technology. Aldo shoes are typically offered in women’s sizes 5-11.
“We fell in love with Diamond, her style and her story,” said Amanda Amar, Aldo’s vp of global brand strategy, social media and public relations, regarding the company’s choice partner. “With incredible resilience and strength, Diamond went from undergoing spinal surgery to winning championships. … Partnering with someone as remarkable as Diamond on and off the court allows the brand to connect with new and existing audiences through her fans.”
She added, “This partnership has been a celebration of inclusivity and diversity, which are core to Aldo’s values.” Shop it here.
Collab of the week: Organic Basics x Antonia Gentry
Organic Basics, the Copenhagen-based sustainable intimates and basics brand, tapped “Ginny and Georgia” star Antonia Gentry for a product collaboration that includes everything from underwear and T-shirts to bodysuits and dresses. The co-designed pieces were designed to be mixed and matched.
“Most importantly, the collection highlights our shared passion for sustainability, allowing us to help people build a wardrobe they feel good wearing and is better for the planet,” said Mads Fibiger Rasmussen, co-founder & CEO of Organic Basics. Shop it here.
Pop-up of the week: Year of Ours hits NYC
This weekend, Year of Ours is bringing a locker-room-themed pop-up to Elizabeth Street, marking the brand’s first direct retail experience since launching in 2016. Year of Ours is carried at retailers including Revolve, Net-a-Porter, Saks Fifth Avenue and Shopbop.
“New York City is definitely the place to be right now, especially following fashion week, and we hope to explore an option in LA next spring,” said the brand’s co-founder Eleanor Haycock.
Year of Ours will also be hosting a community walk with more than 100 women on Saturday morning. It’s hosted fitness- and wellness-focused community events since its launch.
“We value ‘team spirit,’ and at our core, community and inclusivity are what Year of Ours is all about. We make sportswear for the fans, not the athletes, and a community walk to kick off our game-day pop-up felt right,” Haycock said.
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