The Power of Style

 

Publication Date: April 27, 2021

The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures is by Vogue contributing fashion journalist Christian Allaire, an Ojibwe who is offering this book to those people who have felt a lack of representation in the fashion and beauty industries. This is more than just a fashion book. Starting with his mom and aunties creating his adult ribbon shirt, Allaire tries to showcase designers and fashion influencers who "are using fashion and beauty to promote cultural activism, empowerment, diversity, and inclusivity" (Introduction letter, p. 1).

I think this is a beautifully slick and appealing book that will call to males and females who maybe feel different. This is an empowering hug to say we are all beautiful and powerful and unashamed. I hope that this reaches those teens who feel like they are misunderstood. In fact, I hope it gets to them in time. 

From the Publisher

As a fashion-obsessed Ojibwe teen, Christian Allaire rarely saw anyone that looked like him in the magazines or movies he looked to for inspiration. Now the Fashion and Style Writer for Vogue, he is
working to change that—because clothes are never just clothes. Men’s heels are a statement of pride in the face of LGTBQ+ discrimination, while ribbon shirts honor Indigenous ancestors and keep culture alive. Allaire takes the reader through boldly designed chapters to discuss additional topics like cosplay, make up, hijabs, and hair, probing the connections between fashion and history, culture, politics, and social justice.