Mitt Romney Hones In On November Election As Fashion Folk Give Their Support

The fashion industry is not necessarily known as the most conservative bunch. In fact, many of today's top designers have publicly flaunted their love of President Barack Obama, including Vogue Editor-In-Chief Anna Wintour, Rachel Roy and Vera Wang. But GOP nominee Mitt Romney has scored some weighty fashion support as he moves inches away from clasping the official 2012 nomination.

Mitt Romney claimed the GOP presidential nomination on Tuesday night after sweeping five Northeast states including Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and New York. Despite the fact that he has not officially been announced the Republican nominee yet, Romney thanked his supporters for a great honor and solemn responsibility and told Americans to hold on a little longer. A better America begins tonight.

Now, Mitt Romney has shifted his attention to the general election in November where he will go up against incumbent president, Barack Obama. Women, youth, immigrants and the middle class are up for grabs.

Neither candidate is fighting too hard for the fashion crowd, but both have received some notable support.

Mitt Romney has raked in $137,126 from fashion industry donations, according to a recent article in New York Magazine.

Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, said:

To the degree we are talking about New York City celebrity designers versus corporations that have primarily developed multifaceted retail empires, I think it is logical to see a more conservative approach with a focus on economic interests [in favor of Romney] as opposed to social issues driving their politics. Of course, you can't ignore the role that gay rights advocates play from within the industry, which takes a much different view of the Obama camp than the Romney campaign.

Fashion insiders who donated to Romney's campaign include the following: $2,500 from Emanuel Chirico, chairman and chief executive officer of PVH Corp.; $2,500 from Paul Marciano, CEO of Guess, Inc.; and $450 from Ed Emma, president and COO of Jockey International.

President Obama wins this War of Roses, with $5,000 donations from Tommy Hilfiger, Tory Burch, Leonard Lauder of Estée Lauder and Robert Haas of Levi Strauss, according to Women's Wear Daily.

WWD added that the fashion political players have donated a total of about $435,000 thus far, with $53.9 percent going to Obama and 45.9 percent going to Republican candidates.