Abstract

Starting from the interview released by Elly Shlein to Vogue Italia and the debate about the role of armochromy in shaping a politician’s image the article deals with the use of fashion and popular culture by political leaders in Italy. Then, it analyses the experience of foreign leftist leaders, politicians and parties – namely Podemos, Jeremy Corbyn, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez – to show how the popularization of politics has become an important part of the communication of leftist parties or candidates. Even if also traditional media like magazines contribute to the process of making a politician a sort of celebrity, social media are supposed to play a main role in the popularization of politics: they serve to improve the image of the leader and help mobilizing fans through entertainment and the diffusion of “softµ contents. On the other hand, however, also their polarizing potential should be taken into consideration.