Opening Ceremony brought both comedy and politics to NYFW in such a smart way

When New York Fashion Week comes to mind, you probably think of couture dresses, big hair, and bold makeup. But that’s far from the presentation that Opening Ceremony hosted yesterday.

Instead of executing a traditional runway show, the label’s co-founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon organized the Pageant of the People — a town hall forum that spoke out about causes bigger than fashion. It was a meeting of the comedic and political minds, hosted by laugh-out-loud-funny duo Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein.

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The show, structured in true Miss America Q&A format, gave famous women a platform to talk about serious issues like gender discrimination, police brutality, and immigration (both Lim and Leon are children of immigrants themselves). There was also a big emphasis on the importance of voting in the upcoming election.

Featured speakers included Rashida Jones, Jessica Williams, Alia Shawkat, Aidy Bryant, Aubrey Plaza, and Natasha Lyonne.

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“Since our very first show, Opening Ceremony has participated in Fashion Week as a platform to express ideas,” read the show’s program. “This year, no ideas are as critical as the ones our country will consider on Election Day.”

Kudos to Lim and Leon for breaking tradition and daring to talk about important issues so openly. The Pageant of the People gives new meaning to the term “fashion risk,” and it’s one that definitely paid off.