Dress to win: fashion and electoral campaigns in Latin America

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Vestir para ganar: moda y campañas electorales en América Latina
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Published: Jun 30, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21555/rpc.v5i1.2858
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Sádaba, T., & Ambás, G. (2023). Dress to win: fashion and electoral campaigns in Latin America. Pan-American Journal of Communication, 5(1), 11–22. https://doi.org/10.21555/rpc.v5i1.2858

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Teresa Sádaba
ISEM Fashion Business School, Madrid, España
Gabriela Ambás
Universidad Panamericana, Campus Ciudad de México

Abstract

The digital revolution has strongly erupted into the election campaigns and changed the traditional ways of political communication by inserting new actors that take away the leading role in the political parties as the main characters. Therefore, contemporary campaigns are created by anonymous citizens in social media or organized groups on behalf of a specific cause. This paper focuses on a new factor in political campaigns – fashion – and studies three cases of Latin American campaigns where fashion has had a relevant role. The article develops a theoretical framework that explores the main relations between fashion and politics, with its symbolic and communicative power. From there we explore, through case studies, two areas in which fashion plays an important role in campaigns: 1) the symbolism of fashion, as seen with the lack of tie in Gabriel Boric’s attire and Guillermo Lasso’s red tennis shoes, and 2) the use of influence and fashion influencers, as seen with Mariana Rodríguez – top influencer and wife to Governor Samuel García – and her role during his election campaign.

Article Details

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Author Biographies

Teresa Sádaba, ISEM Fashion Business School, Madrid, España

Teresa Sádaba is the dean of ISEM Fashion Business School (University de Navarra), where she also teaches strategic communication for fashion companies. She holds a PhD in Communication, a degree in Journalism and Political Science. Professor at the University de Navarra and the Universitá della Svizzera Italiana. Visiting Professor at Université Paris XII and George Washington University, among others. Fulbright scholar. Expert in framing and strategic communication. Her research now focuses on politics and fashion and new developments in communication.

Gabriela Ambás, Universidad Panamericana, Campus Ciudad de México

Gabriela Ambás Sosa studied Communications at Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City, Mexico. She worked in Public Relations for Burson Marsteller and Antera, managing editorial content, coaching spokespersons and planning launch events. Subsequently, she completed a Master in Cultural Management at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, in Barcelona. In 2019, Gabriela started at the School of Communication at Universidad Panamericana as Coordinator of Student Affairs, where she currently works to manage the School's international strategy, corporate liaison and professional internships. She also teaches the subject "Fashion and Communication" for 8th semester students of the Bachelor's Degree in Communication. She is currently in her third year of the PhD program in Communication at the University of Navarra (Spain), where she is conducting research on the political, social and cultural impact of fashion communication.

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