As the red carpet unrolls and the cameras flash, the world watches on as meticulously dressed celebrities take their first steps into the high-stakes arena. With the watchful eyes of millions at home, awards season has now become a global stage in which fashion has become much more than a matter of style. How a celebrity chooses to dress has now become an increasingly common form of political expression which can signal solidarity and resistance all in a single photo.
Where in previous years, fashion in award shows has been used to signal taste or status, recently it has been repurposed for political messaging. Unlike a speech, the power of fashion lies in its ability to carry its message subtly. From the use of a particular colour to the designer themselves, these stylistic choices become statements—even in silence— that can cause great discourse. In a space where global audiences, industry leaders and many more elites come together, where else is better to make these statements?
The 2026 Golden Globes red carpet was an event that did just that. Saja Kilani, a Palestinian-Jordanian-Canadian actress, chose to wear a dress embroidered with a traditional Palestinian technique (tatreez) as a way to represent and honour Palestinian heritage following Israel’s assault on Gaza. In an interview with Vogue, Kilani reflects on using fashion as political messaging: “sometimes fashion says what words cannot – it’s kind of its own language.” The dress acts as a non-verbal statement of identity and solidarity with the ongoing crisis in Gaza but it also demonstrates how fashion can be used effectively for cultural signalling.
Even the smallest of accessories can be used for this kind of political signalling. Following the death of Renee Good at the hands of ICE, black and white pins with messages like ‘Be Good’ or ‘ICE out’ started appearing on the red carpet —particularly at the Grammys this year. Mark Ruffalo followed up his choice of accessory at the Golden Globes with a post on Instagram urging people to come together in solidarity and “stop the violence.” Understandably, at one of Hollywood’s most visible events, this sparked a lot of conversation—not all of it positive.
With the increase of political statements through fashion on the red carpet, there has also been an increase in scrutiny. Award shows are elite spaces and highly commercialised; a political garment designed for these exclusive events can come across tone deaf or performative from celebrities out of touch with the lived realities of those that are suffering from abuse of power or crisis.
However, dismissing these moments can overlook their cultural impact. The red carpet has eyes on it from all over the world; when celebrities like Mark Ruffalo use fashion alongside political statements online, the message can reach audiences that may not typically engage with politics. So, despite the issues with this kind of signalling, political fashion can raise awareness and trigger debate which is key for a healthy democracy.
Although these political statements on the red carpet won’t replace traditional activism or potentially achieve the same effect, it has the power to start the conversation. Awards season is now a political sphere; perhaps the true power of this type of political messaging lies in its ability to move beyond its symbolism in fashion and into action.
Illustration by Tracy Ratliff @paisley_pen_creative
