How Iranian Blogger Hoda Katebi Taught Me Fashion Is Political

I used to think sustainable fashion was just about thrifting and saving the planet. You know, cute outfits, secondhand steals, and talking about fast fashion’s environmental impact. But I was also drawn to politics because, how could I not be, growing up Latina in the United States? But I hadn’t yet connected fashion to the threads of empire, colonialism, and resistance. Not until I found Hoda Katebi online.

Hoda wasn’t just a fashion blogger; she’s an Iranian-American powerhouse who changed how I saw the whole fashion industry as a young college student.

I remember taking a sum of 16 credits in my junior year of college when I began following her on social media. She used to run this amazing fashion blog based out of Chicago, and was aware of her WGN interview. And then she went viral.

You also might remember the clip: a calm, composed Hoda on live TV, calmly explaining U.S. imperialism in the Middle East. And then, the anchor says, “You don’t sound American”. Watching that moment over and over again when it came onto my feed hit me like a brick every time.

After watching the video several times, the following week, it dawned on me how this system works. The moment you criticize the empire, they strip your Americanness away. Your identity becomes “too foreign,” “too radical,” “too angry,” “too political.” But what is more American than liberty and justice?

But that moment wasn’t just about Hoda, and more so about all of us who are told our words, our politics, our very being don’t belong. It made me realize that being a Latina in fashion makes things more complicated, and that sustainability isn't neutral. And as I was writing academic college articles for my classes, I also came to understand that fashion isn’t just an aesthetic. Fashion is political, and being “radical” doesn’t mean you’re a criminal, but an honest and aware person rooted in anti-establishment truths.

So, Hoda radicalized me more than any classroom or documentary had before. She made it clear that ethical fashion cannot exist without anti-imperialism and that fashion aesthetics are empty without justice. It also illuminated that “sustainable” doesn’t just mean eco-friendly, but it means abolishing systems that exploit, displace, and dehumanize. All the while, doing this hard work and remaining stylish, Muslim, brown, and angry as a valid but necessary part of self-identity in the fashion industry.

Since then, I’ve started asking better questions:

• Who made my clothes, and who defines Western fashion?

• Who profits off this current fashion system?

• Why is sustainability always framed as a lifestyle choice instead of a collective struggle?

Catalysts come at any moment, and I wanted to honor the source of my intersectional, anti-imperial perspective. I am now deeply committed to breaking down racism, capitalism, and systemic oppression in every aspect of my life. If I’m not telling that story, I’m missing the point.

Without Hoda, I think my journey in sustainable fashion would have ended up very different. I now create content that centers ethical fashion choices, and not just about looking good.

So, she didn’t just inspire my fashion journey, but my direct activism; she made me question everything. I am glad I have kept asking questions, taking time to put on my critical thinking hat, and pushing for intersectional solutions.

Thanks to Hoda for your honesty, your work, and your beauty. I have so much love for Iran. Amid chaos, I will continue to turn to leaders who are not afraid to sound "un-American" if being American means staying silent. They can destroy our homes and bury the seeds. But they cant bury the flowers.

Peace and Love, 

Elle