Fashion has always been more than just about clothing; it’s about making a statement. Last month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement murdered its ninth victim since President Donald Trump increased immigration raids across the country. ICE’s most recent actions have caused major uproar, leading people to begin taking greater stands against them and the Trump administration as a whole.
Fridays are one of the busiest days of the week for stores and establishments, but on Jan. 30, small and independently owned fashion brands participated in the National Shutdown, where people were asked to refrain from shopping and working. Small businesses, for the most part, across the nation closed their doors in protest of the ICE raids happening in sanctuary cities. For small businesses, maintaining their vitality is crucial with the dramatic decline of businesses in NYC last spring, but to them, equality is more important.
“Closing for a day is a small sacrifice, and we are prepared to continue putting our values first,” Happy Isles said in an email. The bi-coastal vintage and bridal shop located in SoHo was just one of the handful of businesses that believed more in morality than profit.
Brandon Blackwood, handbag and accessories designer, made the intentional decision to postpone its Valentine’s Day drop. This drop was big for the brand and required a substantial amount of adjustment.
“Everyone understood why we were doing it, which made it easier,” the New-York based designer told Vogue.
The strike spanned from an abundance of small businesses, including restaurants, fitness studios, bookstores and even schools in respect of the shutdown. The news of the government shutdown and the rise in ICE-induced shootings made it to the Grammy Awards, in the form of red-carpet interviews and acceptance speeches.
Celebrities not only used their voices to speak out against the killing of 37-year-old Reneè Good and other victims of the raids, but they were spotted wearing “ICE Out” and “Be Good” pins as accessories.
Celebrities like Justin and Hailey Bieber, Billie Eilish and Kehlani were seen proudly wearing these pins over their couture gowns and suits. These pins, first spotted during the 2026 Golden Globes in January, are part of a campaign organized by a “coalition of entertainment industry professionals,” backed by organizations like the American Civil Rights Union and MoveOn.
“What I wanna make sure I say is that everyone is so powerful in this room… And together, we’re stronger in numbers to speak against all the injustice going on in the world right now,” singer and songwriter Kehlani said towards the end of her speech after her first Grammy win of the night. “So instead of letting it be just a couple of you here and there, I hope everybody’s inspired to join together as a community of artists and speak out against what’s going on.”
