Brat, Freedom & Coconut Trees: The Political Fashion of Kamala Harris' Presidential Campaign

On December 28, 2023, TIME Magazine published an article stating that 2024 would be not just an election year but the Ultimate Election year. 

The article described how at least 64 countries, plus the European Union, were about to hold elections in 2024. These transitions of power happening around the world represent a redirection in which entire governments and their relations with each other will take place in the upcoming years. 

But the presidential election in the US has been historic on its own: Indictments, convictions, a debate that drastically shaped the direction of the election, and an unprecedented assassination attempt are some core moments of the 2024 election cycle to this day. 

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to be the Democratic Presidential nominee. Harris is an attorney and politician, a woman of color from Oakland, California who has spent her whole life fighting against the misogyny and racism that comes when women of color enter professional fields that men mostly conduct. 

Today in Political Fashion, let’s analyze the excitement behind the quick announcement of Harris’ announcement running for president, and how the elements of pop culture, social media, and fashion are helping leverage her campaign to be seen and heard by the undecided, the unaffiliated, and the unburdened of what can be.

“I’m grateful for the grace and patriotism he (Joe Biden) has shown by choosing to step aside for the sake of the country.” – John Legend

Among marginalized groups

On Sunday, July 21, 44,000 black women joined a Zoom call for four hours, joining a Win With Black Women call focused on mobilizing voters for Kamala Harris. 

There is a special connection with leaders when they look like us. It’s not just about appearances or physical attractiveness; it is about seeing a part of yourself in the leader you want us all to lead the way. 

Harris’ organic conversations off-the-record, giving cooking recipes between TV interviews and dances, and being able to speak with everyone from world leaders to workers, protestors, and first responders are some of the main reasons why there is so much excitement about Kamala Harris’ campaign. 

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“LETS GOOOOO I TOLD YALLL KAMALA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE 2024 candidate” Cardi B

Gen Z Boost

In less than 24 hours after Kamala Harris’ announcement, her presence was all over social media. Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, and so on and so forth.

The campaign did not maneuver or manipulate this widespread digital presence. It was an organic reaction from digital users who decided to create content by remixing Kamala Harris’ public appearances and speeches with a variety of songs. This is the first presidential election since AI features in editing software have made content creation easier and faster, making it so much easier to create several hundreds of posts within hours.

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In Political Fashion, we have talked about the power of symbols. The rainbow flag has united the LGBTQ+ movement for several decades among people from different continents who speak other languages. A minimal yet memorable bitten apple has been the icon of one of the most successful technological corporations founded in America.

Something fascinating has been happening around Kamala Harris’ campaign. A coconut tree meme and the emojis illustrating a coconut and a palm tree are being utilized as a symbol of support for the presumptive Presidential nominee.

Why a Coconut Tree?

In May 2023, Vice President Harris gave remarks for the swearing-in ceremony of commissioners for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. In the speech, Harris emphasized the need to focus on the needs of younger generations and that “none of us live in a silo,” remembering some words of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan. 

“My mother used to — she would give us a hard time sometimes, and she would say to us, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?’” Harris said with a laugh. “You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you,” she continued.

The coconut tree meme has become a non-verbal sign of support for Vice President Harris, even before President Biden dropped out of his reelection bid. With the emojis 🥥🌴, people across social media have gathered digitally in support of Kamala Harris. The symbol of the coconut tree is gathering together people from across the country for a common goal.

Brat

A Brat is “just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes, who feels herself, but then also maybe has a breakdown, but kind of parties through it.”

In such a Gen Z manner, Kamala Harris’ campaign has embraced the Brat “aesthetic” in her campaign social media handle, using the font and color of Charli XCX’s Brat album. 

The Brat aesthetic has been promoted by celebrities like Julia Fox, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and Katy Perry (the latter in an almost costumey manner.)

"Kamala IS brat" Charli XCX

Think of Brat fashion as a Gen Z trend that symbolizes the need for freedom and rebellion and is perhaps a little irreverent with subtle touches of punk or Y2K. Kamala Harris is not embracing Brat as a fashion trend but as an aesthetic and a mindset to connect to Gen Z voters. Gen Z voters feel seen, acknowledged, and represented by this campaign. Consequently, about 40 thousand Gen Z voters registered to vote during the 48 hours after President Biden’s exit of the reelection bid.

The Brat aesthetic, in addition to the coconut tree meme and symbolism, has inspired a wide range of social media content in support of Kamala Harris.

Beyoncé

Music plays an important role in successful advertisements and campaigns. Global hits like Despacito, Bad Blood, or Rain on Me have been used for a range of commercials because the songs are so beloved by a wide audience that advertisers hope to bring that love and support to the product or service they are trying to sell. 

But a song or an anthem for a successful campaign cannot be chosen arbitrarily, otherwise this could backfire. The song needs to speak to… “the context that we live in.” 

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Global superstar Beyoncé endorsed Kamala Harris for president and gave her permission to use her song Freedom for her campaign. This is incredibly powerful for her campaign. Beyoncé is one of the most popular and successful singers right now, with her most recent album, Cowboy Carter, making history as the first Black Woman Album at the top of Country Music charts. 

The emojis of the coconut tree are a powerful symbol gathering together digital users; in addition to the Brat aesthetic that gives consistent branding and Freedom by Beyoncé, a powerful and emblematic anthem, Harris’ campaign has strong audiovisual components getting the attention of Gen Z users.

She experienced. She's tough, she's capable. She's been an incredible partner to me. President Joe Biden

Eight years have passed since 2016. 

The outcome of the 2016 presidential election was devastating for so many. The United States was very close to elect the first female President of the United States, Hillary Clinton. Clinton is an extraordinary politician who perhaps was ahead of her time. A First Lady who had a legislative portfolio willing to address issues leveraging the influence and resources that the White House provided for her. 

Hillary Clinton won the national popular vote by three million in 2016, but the electoral college votes didn’t play in her favor, giving the victory to a far-right figure. 

Although there are many conversations around claiming that the country is not ready for a female president and “only a male candidate” can defeat the far-right former President, there are meaningful events that have happened in the USA since 2016 and could change the perception of these voters. 

• The #MeToo movement, that spiked with notable visibility in 2018 and 2019, is a social movement and awareness campaign against sexual abuse and sexual harassment. Although the #MeToo movement is not exclusive to women and welcomes all genders to share their stories, spread awareness, and join as advocates, it has become a strong platform for many women to come together, speak up, and join forces for a common goal.

• The Black Lives Matter movement gained particular international relevance in May 2020 amid the assassination of George Floyd. The conversations regarding systemic racism and the demand for change were widespread. From executive corporations and schools to local news, fashion magazines, and the catalog of movies and shows that streaming platforms have to offer. The path towards a fair and racially equitable community is still far ahead. However, the rage, the power of unity, and the strong need to have people of color in positions of power were factors that helped Kamala Harris get elected in 2020 as Vice President of the United States. 

• In June 2022, The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed access to abortion for women across the country –a fundamental right that had protected reproductive freedom for several decades and that was overturned by far right justices who were handpicked by the former President.  The anger, frustration, and sadness of taking this step back made many voters more involved and active in political elections. Kamala Harris has been a strong advocate and spokesperson for reproductive freedom, and she has leveraged this message to campaign across the country. 

With about three months ahead of the election, there is so much that still can happen and so many more messages that Kamala Harris has yet to communicate from the West to the East and from the North to the South. 

It seems as though every Election year, we run into the narrative that we are about to experience the most consequential election in our lifetime. But given the precedents and the broadening power that the Supreme Court seemed to have obtained by overturning abortion rights, eliminating affirmative action, and giving absolute immunity to certain official acts, the stakes couldn’t be higher. 

We saw Mexico elect its first female President, and we saw interesting outcomes in the elections of France, where joined coalitions were able to defeat far-right candidates wanting to rise in power. The stakes couldn't be higher.

“Ms. Harris is chronically underestimated, as are so many women in politics, but she is well prepared for this moment.” –Hillary Clinton

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