Dead White Men’s Clothes on Neo­colonialism

In the seventh episode of the video series HOW TO FASHION, Jojo Gronostay, founder of the Vienna-based label Dead White Men’s Clothes (DWMC), discusses the intersection of art and fashion, societal issues and luxury, the role of context in reception, and how fashion can be political.

Dead White Men’s Clothes is a transdisciplinary label operating at the intersection of art and fashion, addressing topics such as the fashion system, neocolonialism, and identity. Founded in 2017 by Berlin-born Jojo Gronostay, who studied art and photography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and art at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, DWMC critically engages with the global flow of second-hand clothing.

Central to his label is the Kantamanto Market in Accra, the capital of Ghana. This market is one of the largest hubs for used, mostly donated clothing from Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia, which is then reintroduced into the cycle of capitalism.