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returned to the theme in 2008, when for Cycle 10 of her modelling reality show America’s Next Top Model, she had the contestants pose with real homeless women for a poverty-themed fashion shoot. It is not only the fashion industry, but also the media, that has drawn upon poverty and homelessness for money, and even entertainment.

In January 2010, Vivienne Westwood unveiled a ‘homeless chic’ collection in Milan. The show saw models using props that a stereotypical homeless person might own, including shopping trolleys and bedrolls. Another model emerged from a cardboard box with a sleeping bag, showing the questionable lengths that the show took the theme to, especially considering that it was likely more celebrated for its fashion than for bringing awareness to an important subject matter. The collection was another example of a fashion house being triumphant in using the hardships of poverty to create something ‘beautiful’ and celebrated. “Homeless chic?” said one magazine editor. “It is a little close to the bone. The clothes were fantastic, though.” In September 2018, luxury London department store Selfridges and designer brand Balenciaga were forced to apologise following a backlash over a window display for clothes that critics branded “homeless chic.” They were accused of “trivialising” rough sleeping with the window display which included hooded mannequins in slumped positions. The display was deemed “insensitive”, with many feeling it used “homeless chic” and imagery of the poorest in society to target the richest, something that seems to be a trend across most of these cases.

Most recently, the row over glamorising poverty was reignited when in early 2020 French designer Maison Margiela released black Fusion leather mesh sneakers that were described as having a ‘deconstructed aesthetic’. The shoes were covered in drips of ‘glue’, something that social media users blasted as glamorising poverty. The interestingly designed shoes had the hefty price of £1,125 attached to them. It thus seems that this trend is one that is failing to die out, but hopefully the fashion world will soon learn that it is not ok to glamorise real life suffering.

The Democratic Party in the United States is generally perceived as more socially liberal, left-wing and champions for the lower classes. With the Democratic primaries currently on-going (and led in polls by self-proclaimed Socialist-Democrat Bernie Sanders), let’s look at the economic plans proposed by the candidates, including those who have since dropped out of the race, that they hope will help prevent poverty.

Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders is personified by his socialist leanings, with plans promising free education and healthcare, as well fighting to provide housing and jobs for all. By providing these services for free, Sanders appears to believe that this will make a significant impact against poverty in America. In order to pay for all of these aims, Sanders has proposed a tax on the super wealthy (those who have a net worth of $32 million or more) which he has claimed will bring in $4.35 trillion in the next decade, as well as significantly minimizing the gap between the incredibly wealthy and the middle class. Sanders is the most left leaning of all the candidates, with the aim to make all opportunities equal for everyone. Elizabeth Warren Like Sanders, Warren’s plans to combat poverty in America is rooted in raising taxes for the very wealthy. One of her flagship proposals is the fight against corruption in Washington as well as taxing large corporations in order to raise money for her own plans for healthcare, housing and raising the minimum wage. Warren stands out from the field for her thorough grasp of economics and detailed policies. Pete Buttigieg Buttigieg is much more centrist than Warren and Sanders but his website still has a page dedicated to an economic plan to help the working and middle-classes get ahead in America (complete with its own footnotes). Like others on this list, Buttigieg is focusing on lowering the cost of education and housing and raising the minimum wage, however, he doesn’t appear to plan to raise taxes for the wealthy as much as Warren and Sanders. His health plan is also more conservative, balancing in the middle to try compromise between the left and right. Michael Bloomberg Bloomberg appears to focus more on rural communities than his competitors, emphasising the need to prioritise education and claiming that he will make more jobs for Americans in order to help people escape poverty. Bloomberg has been criticised for being out of touch with the majority of the American population, with his estimated net worth of $52 billion making him one of those that Sanders would tax heavily if elected. Joe Biden The former Vice-President likes to mention that he was the one working with Obama to institute the Obamacare and other initiatives whilst he was in office. Like all Democrats, his goals focus on housing, education and minimum wage. However, Biden’s focus appears to be on boosting the middleclass, hoping that by encouraging their earnings the economy will improve as a whole, therefore helping those in poorer situations.

Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar has similar aims to the other candidates, and, like Bloomberg, a focus on rural communities. She also aims for shared prosperity and preventing a monopoly on the economy. Like Buttigieg, Klobuchar stands more centrist but hopes that these plans will combat poverty.

By the 6th of June we will know which one of these candidates will be going head-to-head with Donald Trump for the presidency, but it’s only if they get elected that the real fight begins – to keep their promises and truly try and combat

poverty in America.

WORDS BY HAZEL JONCKERS IMAGE BY FRANCES ROSE