"Dictator Chic" from Zimbabwe

Robert Mugabe is renowned for many things, but his starchy dress sense and Savile Row suits are considered the lesser of his crimes. And yet “dictator chic” has found a niche among young people in Zimbabwe.

Wearing a beret bearing the signature “RG Mugabe” is not only a fashion statement but an act of rebellion in major cities where denigrating “Uncle Bob” or “the old man” has almost become de rigueur.

“It’s rebellious: everyone in the cities is supposed to be against Mugabe. People don’t expect urban young professionals to support him.” The design is hardly spectacular, but the Mugabe signature appeals to a particular group, typically around 30 and running their own business, who feel they are doing just fine under his 33-year rule.

Designer Herbert Huruba (beret) pictured with Robert Mugabe (baseball cap).
No, not available through South Pacific Berets!