Fashion Feeling Especially Patriotic These Days

From Alexander Wang's throwback to football and Ralph Lauren's Dust Bowl-inspired runway this past season to a Levi's-sponsored photography exhibit and countless American-themed fashion editorials, champions of classic American imagery and fashions are everywhere you look. Much ado has been made of Levi's latest video ad campaign, which features narration by way of Walt Whitman reading his poems "America" and "Pioneers! O Pioneers!." "Whitman's verse allows Levi's to evoke not only its proud history but a forward-looking present -- the pioneering, American mindset that Whitman captured and that Levi's hopes to embody," says Slate. In addition to the commercial spots, Levi's employed Jay Carroll (formerly of Rogues Gallery) to take a road trip across the United States and document his findings, with the help of photographer Nate Bressler.

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“Carroll traveled from Portland, Maine, to San Francisco stopping in general stores, vintage shops, garage sales and more buying the best clothes, art and knicknacks he could find,” says We Are The Market. Images of their travels are currently on exhibition at the Levi’s flagship store in San Francisco with the title “One Trip Pass: Stars and Stripes.” Meanwhile high-fashion rags are following suit. A recent Russh editorial featuring Daul Kim pays homage to one of the great bastions of American culture: the roadside motel. And V’s latest issue goes “all-American” with a fashion editorial featuring one of American literature’s most revered icons’ great-granddaughter: Dree Hemingway.