Public opinion is often formed or reshaped through social media. It opens space for democratized storytelling and awareness, but its speed might distort, manipulate, or misinform. Fashion photography has produced some of the most recognizable images of the past century, not only due to technique or aesthetics, but rather the cultural mood shifts they created.

From Runways to Resistance

Richard Avedon’s photographs, for instance, captured mid-century modernity and a hunger for post-war individuality. Aside from high fashion, images of grief, injustice, resistance, and survival have shaped our generation’s intake of political information.

Protest movements are struggles to be seen and heard. Our constant exposure to visuals of war, violence, and grief risks fatigue dulling our emotional response just when attentiveness is most needed.

However, not all iconic images emerge from political struggle; many result from cultural moments, which generate discourse and are immortalized by images. In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent designed the women’s “Le Smoking” tuxedo, revolutionizing formal womenswear.

It was first showcased as part of his autumn/winter “Pop Art” collection, and became a sensation, worn by style icons of the sixties: Catherine Deneuve, Liza Minelli, LouLou de la Falaise, Lauren Bacall, and Bianca Jagger. Helmut Newton’s shoot for Vogue in 1975 further immortalized the garment, capturing its androgynous power, cementing “Le Smoking” as a symbol of modern femininity.

Throughout the 80s and 90s, television was the Western visual culture. The release of iconic films was a cultural moment and ran alongside the work of key photographers like Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, and Corinne Day.

The 80s were an era of creativity and evolution in fashion photography, with new technology allowing photographers to experiment with both style and technique. Fashion movements like “The Power Look” and “Fresh Look” pushed the boundaries of traditional beauty and representation, laying the groundwork for the 90s supermodel era.

Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Christy Turlington embodied refined confidence, emerging as symbols of autonomy. Fashion imagery in the 20th century constructed new representations of femininity and strength.

The 21st century has witnessed a dramatic turn toward images that confront political reality rather than escape it. Some of the most transformative images of the century emerged from the Black Lives Matter movement. Photographs of protestors standing with hands raised or the waves of people lying face-down in “die-ins” became visual shorthand for the global protest.

The viral video of George Floyd’s murder accelerated global action because of its visual immediacy. The movement’s visual output reshaped conversations on race, justice, and accountability, proving that images can function as both evidence and emotional capsules.

Alaa Salah: The Woman in White

Another instance of a singular image framing a movement is Lana H. Haroun’s photograph of Alaa Salah during the 2019 revolution. Sudan has been plagued by conflict since its founding in January 1956, after gaining its independence from the United Kingdom and Egypt.

In 2019, tens of thousands of people in Sudan came together to protest for civilian rule and after four months of protest, President Al-Bashir was removed from office.

The subject of this image, Alaa Salah, led thousands of people in song and protest, in the revolution to end Al-Bashir’s rule in Sudan. She quickly became a symbol of the revolution and an inspiration for Sudanese women and young girls who were represented by her.

Salah is also seen wearing a traditional white robe—worn by working women—and shining gold moon-shaped earrings, the same style worn by Sudanese mothers and grandmothers during their protest against the military dictatorship between the 60s and 80s.

Salah gained worldwide popularity and was nicknamed the Icon, Woman in White, or Lady Liberty of the Sudanese Revolution. Furthermore, the photograph came to be known as the Kandake of the Revolution.

Lana H. Haroun, the photographer and activist behind the image, was quoted as saying, “Whenever I have the chance to help my people and serve my people, I will take it.”

After the image gained traction across global news networks and various social media platforms, the situation in Sudan garnered worldwide interest. This photograph inspired a feminist movement that swept the streets of Sudan, with demands for equality and representation.

Across social media platforms, thousands of women adopted purple profile pictures to protest this violence. But what are the limits of social activism? And why does virality occur with some movements but not others?

Ultimately, the limits of social media activism lie in its ability to create visibility and discourse more easily than change. Digital gestures can create attention, yet virality is uneven, depending on algorithms and pre-existing power dynamics.

The Call Behind Every Image

Sometimes images are more impactful as they resonate with a larger audience; their imagery is easily legible or fits a familiar narrative.

Drawing from the movements our generation has experienced, online activism plays a key role in shaping our awareness, but its lasting impact lies in our willingness to transform our online attention into real-world change.

Words by Rebecca Delia, MA Fashion Journalism & Editorial Direction

Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash

Develop your expertise in media, communication, business and luxury with master’s degrees at Vogue College of Fashion.