Monica Lewinsky knows a thing or two about reinvention.
The former White House intern became the source of media obsession after her affair with former President Bill Clinton become public. It solidified her place in history against her will, but through her actions since, Lewinsky has transformed her public persona into a feminist icon and champion of a powerful anti-bullying campaign.
Now, the 50-year-old Lewinsky is lending her household name to sustainable fashion brand Reformation and Vote.org in hopes to encourage people to vote this year.
In a campaign aptly titled “You’ve Got The Power,” Lewinsky models fabulously chic and structured workwear pieces—blazers, pencil skirts, one badass leather trench coat—all while posing in a sky rise office building.
There are even subtle (or not-so-subtle) nods to Lewinsky’s previous chapter during the Clinton era: one image where she’s clad in vivid scarlet, head-to-toe, and another wearing large sunglasses as though she were thwarting the paparazzi.
On the campaign website, Reformation wrote: “Monica’s been empowering women to use their voices and feel powerful for a long time. So it just makes sense that she’d help us do the same. And while great clothes won’t fix everything, putting them on and going to the polls is a pretty good place to start.”
On the same page, Lewinsky is quoted saying “Voting is using your voice to be heard, and it’s the most defining aspect of democracy. If you wanna complain for the next four years, you gotta go out and vote.”
Lewinsky told Elle in an interview published Monday that her decision to join the campaign was inspired by an evident rise in voter frustration and apathy.
“We all have to be reminding each other that we can’t let that get in the way of needing to vote, that that’s how we use our voice. That’s where our power is,” she shared.
For many women, clothing is a powerful form of expression. The fact that we have so many unapologetically feminine elements coming together to encourage women to use their voices, spoken in a language that many women understand on a visceral level…that in itself feels like progress.
Voting is sure to be tenuous this year. Whether this campaign serves as a reminder to get out there and let your voice be heard, or gave you inspiration for your election-day look, it’s a pretty worthwhile collaboration.
FYI: Though not modeled by Lewinsky, Reformation is also selling a limited edition “You Got The Power” sweatshirt. A portion of the proceeds made will got towards Vote.org, which works toward making voting more accessible.