On Tuesday, about a week after New York Fashion Week ended and after many in the industry had traveled across the Atlantic Ocean for shows in Europe, a crowd of roughly 100 people gathered for The America First Patriotic Designer Showcase, a conservative-themed fashion show held at a warehouse tucked amid clusters of suburban office parks on Long Island.
There were hats with rhinestones spelling “Make America Great Again.” Sequined jackets emblazoned with slogans like “MAGA” and “Swifties for Trump.” And gowns, including a red-and-white-striped number with “2024, America’s Comeback!” written on its full skirt.
Attendees sat on plush chairs and couches to view the designs of about a dozen small labels and independent makers participating in the show at the America First Warehouse. The facility, which has an event space and a store, has been hosting conservative events for several years.
Taking place two days after a second assassination attempt on former President Donald J. Trump, and the night before his planned rally at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, the event showcased the sartorial evolution of a political movement that has always had fashion at its core. MAGA hats, of course, have been emblematic of Mr. Trump’s political identity ever since they were released as merchandise promoting his 2016 presidential campaign. (Other fashion items he has hawked since include gold sneakers and pieces of fabric from the suit he wore to debate President Biden in June.)
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