Fashion In/Action: Dressing for Global Unrest tells the story of 2020 through the lens of fashion, a medium that has emerged as an important site for building community, solidarity, and activism during a time of crisis. Through the tectonic events of the past year—the Covid-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests—daily life and social relationships have been defined and enhanced by clothing in unprecedented ways as citizens responded to two competing calls to action: to combat Covid-19 by staying home and to confront racism and injustice by taking to the streets.

 As the world struggles with these dual traumas, fashion has become a place of refuge, a source of strength, and a locus of unity. Many found comfort in dressing for life at home and amplified protest messages through their sartorial choices.

 In the earliest weeks of the pandemic, the fashion industry acted more readily than many governments, with designers swiftly shifting production to personal protective equipment. In New York, Christian Siriano was acknowledged by Governor Cuomo for his pioneering efforts to produce PPE. In the months since, Siriano, and others in the fashion industry, have functioned as leading advocates for change. Designers have found creative inspiration in the new challenges of daily life, working to keep their atelier staff employed during a recession, utilizing clothing as a vehicle for activism, and providing joyful and whimsical versions of garments now required to keep us safe.