Fashion has always been political, whether we recognise it or not. For Black communities across the diaspora, what we wear has never been just about aesthetics it’s about resistance, identity, and power. From the leather jackets and berets of the Black Panthers to the bold Ankara prints worn during the anglophone crisis in Cameroon, fashion has been a visual language for change, a way of saying: We are here. We are proud. We are powerful.

As someone who has lived across France, Cameroon, Switzerland, and the UK, I’ve seen firsthand how clothing can be a declaration of identity especially when that identity is constantly questioned, erased, or misunderstood. For Black people globally, fashion has become an archive, a protest, and a celebration all at once.

The Black Panthers: Fashion as Resistance

Let’s start with one of the most iconic examples of political fashion in the 20th century: the Black Panther Party. In the late 1960s, this revolutionary group wasn’t just shaking the table with their politics; they were making bold statements with their uniforms. Black leather jackets, turtlenecks, sunglasses, and berets became the visual symbols of power, unity, and defiance.

Their aesthetic wasn’t accidental. It was strategic. In a country where Black people were constantly criminalized, dressing in a sharp, coordinated way flipped the script. They looked like a militia, yes but more importantly, they looked organized, intelligent, and unapologetically Black. That visibility mattered. They turned their appearance into armor, into something revolutionary.

Cameroon: Tradition Worn as Protest

Let’s bring it home to Cameroon. While not always globally amplified, the way fashion has played a role in local resistance movements is powerful. During the Anglophone Crisis, many Cameroonians took to the streets wearing traditional attire not just to signify unity, but to make a defiant cultural statement. It wasn’t just about what they wore, but what the clothing symbolized: a reclaiming of language, culture, and belonging that had long been marginalized.

You’d see protesters in colorful Toghu garments royal regalia of the Northwest and Southwest regions—standing firm against the erasure of their identity. This was especially powerful because Toghu, historically worn by chiefs and elders, was now donned by the youth and everyday citizens to say, “Our culture is not disposable. We will not be silenced.”

In this context, fashion became a canvas for political resistance and cultural pride. By wearing traditional garments to protest colonial legacies and government oppression, Cameroonians reminded the world of the deep relationship between identity, visibility, and power.

Protest Fashion Today: Hoodies, Slogans, and Symbolism

Fashion is still being used in everyday protests from the streets to social media. Take the hoodie, for instance. After the murder of Trayvon Martin, the hoodie became a symbol of Black mourning, solidarity, and defiance. It stopped being just an item of clothing and transformed into a protest uniform.

Slogan tees are another powerful tool. Think: “I Can’t Breathe,” “Say Their Names,” “Black Lives Matter.” These statements move from hashtags to fabric, literally clothing our bodies in activism. They demand attention, invite conversation, and in some cases, challenge the very spaces they’re worn in.

Even nail art, makeup, and hair styling have joined the protest conversation. Black women have always used beauty as rebellion—cornrows, afros, bantu knots, and bold colours serve as cultural statements that push back against Western beauty standards and systemic oppression

Moments That Crossed the Line

Let’s also talk about the flipside: when fashion gets it wrong. Cultural appropriation happens when brands take elements of Black or African culture and profit from them without credit, respect, or understanding.

(Comme des Garçons Fall/Winter collection 2020)

• In 2015, Valentino’s runway featured African-inspired clothing with barely any Black models on the runway.
• In 2017, Stella McCartney showcased a collection full of Ankara prints without acknowledging the African roots of the fabric.
• Gucci and Prada have both faced backlash for designs that echoed Blackface and colonial aesthetics.
• These moments aren’t just tone-deaf; they’re harmful. They erase the origin of these styles and reduce culture to costume.

So, When Does Fashion Cross the Line?

Fashion crosses the line when it steals instead of celebrates. When it takes without asking. When it removes culture from context and profits from pain. Appreciation comes with respect, research, collaboration, and representation. Appropriation comes with silence, exploitation, and exclusion.

How Can Fashion Honour Heritage Respectfully?

Here are some ways the industry (and us as consumers) can move toward appreciation:

1. Hire and collaborate with Black designers, stylists, and creatives. If you love a cultural aesthetic, involve the people who come from that culture.
2. Educate yourself. Understand where fabrics, silhouettes, and symbols come from. Don’t treat them like random trends.
3. Give credit. Always. If your design is inspired by a specific culture or historical reference, say it.
4. Support Black-owned brands. There’s no shortage of them. Brands like Tongoro, Kenneth Ize, Mowalola, and Orange Culture are all reshaping fashion with authenticity and cultural pride.
5. Challenge brands that get it wrong. Hold them accountable and demand better.

Fashion as Future Resistance

Fashion will always be a part of the revolution. It’s how we show up—on the streets, in boardrooms, at events. As a Black woman who has navigated multiple worlds, I know the power of clothes. I know that sometimes, just existing in my skin with my braids and wax print two-piece is political.

To dress for the revolution is to embody your truth. To wear your story. And like my mom always told me: “When you go out, you have to dress to impress, because yes, you are that important.” And she’s right. Our fashion is important. Our culture is important. Our fight is important.

The revolution might not always be televised, but trust me, it will be styled and styled with purpose.

see you next week guys!!

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