Since she spoke at Joe Biden’s inauguration in January, where she wore a yellow Prada coat and a red Prada headband, Amanda Gorman’s fashion influence has grown by leaps and bounds.
This week, Lyst, a fashion search engine, said that searches for “red headbands” went up by 560% in the first quarter of 2021.
People who know about fashion jumped on Gorman’s headband right away. In January, Vogue published an article about “24 joyful headbands.” The article said that Gorman’s was “less a headpiece and more like a crown in the spirit of her incredible reading.”
Even though it cost £310, the Prada design sold out in a few days. It is now for sale on the brand’s website, and you can find similar designs at stores like Oliver Bonas and Amazon.
Headbands, which are sometimes called “power bands,” have been in style for about two years. Velvet headbands are linked to Sloanes because a young Princess Diana wore one in the 1980s. Carrie Symonds, Princess Beatrice, and Cressida Bonas have all worn them, as have Tamu McPherson and other influential people. But it was Gorman’s moment that made them the most famous.
In February, she talked about the attention her headband was getting on Instagram after the New York Times wrote about it. She wrote in a caption, “At the inauguration, I really wanted to carry on the tradition of strong women wearing headbands.” “My mom suggested that I put it on sideways with my thick braids. “I think a headband crown is a great idea for anyone who wants to stand taller, straighter, and more confidently.”
Gorman, who is 23 years old, became a model in January. In April, she was the first poet to ever be on the cover of Vogue. Like at the inauguration, her mother helped her do her hair for the photoshoot, and the poet wears another headband on one of the two covers.
Gorman isn’t sure about her new role as a fashion icon. She said as much in an interview with Vogue, where she also said she had turned down deals worth about $17 million (£12 million). “When I’m working on a campaign, the thing I’m working on isn’t my body.” She said, “That’s my voice.” But, based on headband sales alone, it’s clear that she has changed the way people dress.
