Why Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton all wore purple to the inauguration

Purple is traditionally seen as not only a symbol of bipartisanship in the United States, but as a colour of the women's suffrage movement.

Vice President Kamala Harris, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former first lady Michelle Obama pictured at the inauguration on 21 January, 2021. Source: Getty Images

Kamala Harris made history when she was sworn in as the 49th Vice President of the United States on Wednesday, and she did so wearing purple. 

Merging blue, denoting the Democratic Party, and the Republican Party's red, many observers interpret purple as a symbol of bipartisanship and unity  - a theme President Joe Biden has repeatedly called for to heal a deeply divided America.

Purple was also one of three colours used by women's suffrage groups in the US, and is said to be a nod to Shirley Chisholm, the first black women elected to the US Congress. Just days ago, Ms Harris credited Ms Chisholm for creating "a path for [her] and for so many others". 

For Ms Harris, who became the first woman, the first black American and the first Asian American to hold the second highest US office, this colour choice has not gone unnoticed.

Vice President Kamala Harris, after the inauguration of President Joe Biden on 20 January, 2021 in Washington, DC. Source: Getty Images North America

The vice president also chose a black designer for the historic moment, with her dress and coat designed by New York-based John Rogers. 

"Thank you, Madam Vice President. We are so honoured and humbled to have played a small part in this historical moment," Mr Rogers wrote on Instagram.

And she wasn't the only one. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and former first lady Michelle Obama supported Ms Harris in hues of purple, after first lady Jill Biden wore the colour at a prayer service the previous night. 

"I did wear purple with a purpose because I knew the theme that President Biden was striking was unity. I thought as you combine red and blue, the way that we are divided politically in our country, you get purple," Ms Clinton told reporters at the Capitol after the swearing-in. 

"I just wanted to send a bit of a symbolic message that we need to come together."

Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton arrive before the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States. Source: Getty Images North America

Ms Clinton also wore a purple suit when she gave her concession speech in 2016 after losing to Donald Trump, who did not attend Mr Biden and Ms Harris' inauguration. 

Some have interpreted Ms Obama's choice of a magenta pant suit, by black designer Sergio Huden, as a subtle support for Ms Harris that would not seek to upstage her.

Former US President Barack Obama and wife Michelle Obama arrive before the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States. Source: Getty Images North America

Ms Harris completed her look with her signature pearls, which observers say is a nod to sisterhood and her membership of Alpha Kappa Alpha - the first black Greek-letter sorority - at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

The sorority and a Facebook group with more than 450,000 members urged women to wear pearls on Wednesday to celebrate the first female US vice president.

With Reuters.