Beret Fashion Behind the Iron Curtain

It wasn’t all grey and drab behind the Iron Curtain. In the 1960s Western fashion slowly crept through (or under) the borders – all illegal, of course.

In 1965, the Moscow House of Fashion welcomed a budding fashion designer, Vyacheslav Zaitsev, who largely defined the late Soviet and perestroika trends of bright, fashionable clothing. He was interested in foreign fashion trends and tried to adapt them to the domestic market in his own original style.

Bright colours, rigid geometric silhouettes and miniskirts (which were, after all, much more modest than their Western originals).

Hand-knitted items made from bright yarn are becoming extremely popular: jackets, skirts, dresses, shawls and even trouser suits.

And as berets go, this one pictured here is also for Western standards pretty extravagant.

Portraits in Colour

 

Paul Kruse

A 1968 photograph of North Texas State University Library Science professor Paul Kruse standing outside holding books and folders. Trees and an unidentified building are visible in the background.

Beret Portraits

 

Portraits

 

Raymond Trembath

Raymond Trembath grew up in a military family, he was 6 when he decided to join the army.

He signed up in 1973 and left in 1986 to do some solo travel around Africa and the US. By that time a friend who'd served in the French Foreign Legion had already "planted a seed", Ray says, and in 1989 he enlisted with the Legion for a five-year stint. "Off I went, adventuring."

At that time, about five New Zealanders were signing up every year, he says, "generally for the adventure", but new recruits were most often Portuguese and English. With the legion, Ray was a member of the elite parachute regiment and served in Chad, Somalia, Ethiopia and Rwanda.

After leaving the French Foreign Legion in 1994, Ray did construction work in Auckland for five years.

Then at an ANZAC service in 2000, he ran into a fellow army officer who told him he was taking soldiers to Timor.

Two years later, Ray rejoined the army as a corporal, eventually serving in Timor and PNG.

When he was diagnosed with cancer aged 60, Ray decided to call it a day on his army career.

"I thought that's me, I'm out of here, eh? I'm gonna have a vacation." He died in July, 2016.

Raoul Baligand

Raoul Baligand (1913 –1981) was a Belgian politician and member of the Belgian Resistance during the Second World War. 

Following the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Baligand travelled to Spain and enlisted in the International Brigades in October 1936. He was assigned to the Franco-Belgian André Marty Battalion. In June 1937, he was wounded in action near Huesca. He was wounded a second time in Caspe. By the end of his service in Spain, he held the rank of captain. Baligand returned to Belgium from Spain on November 28, 1938.

Baligand was mobilized by the Belgian Army when Belgium was invaded by Nazi Germany in May 1940. On August 4, 1940, Baligand married Berthe Verkerk, a communist activist from Antwerp. Both Baligand and Verkerk were active members of the underground press, writing for the publications Clarté and Partisan.

In June 1941 Baligand began to conduct armed resistance operations alongside several Belgian veterans of the Spanish Civil War. He coordinated many sabotage missions, including the theft of hundreds of kilograms of explosives from the Bois du Cazier mine.

By the end of the Second World War, Baligand was the commander of all Partisans Armés operations in western Wallonia.

From 1943 to 1951 he would serve on the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belgium.

 

Alexander Khimushin

More on Alexander Khimushin (see yesterday's post):

Alexander Khimushin is an adventurer, ethno-photographer, and global citizen who has captivated audiences worldwide with his epic photo project, The World in Faces. With a nomadic spirit and a deep yearning for adventure, Alexander has spent the last 15 years of his life traversing the globe, visiting a staggering 98 countries and immersing himself in the diverse Indigenous cultures he encounters.

“One of my grandfathers was Ukrainian from Kyrgyzstan, while the other was Russian from Bessarabia. I was born in Yakutia, the coldest region of Siberia, a remote part of the USSR, a country that no longer exists. When the USSR collapsed, we became part of Russia, although Yakutia and its people are like aliens from another planet compared to Moscow and its inhabitants. Later in my life, I moved to Australia and now based in Thailand. However, I have always felt a strong connection to my Siberian roots. So, who am I then? Being a citizen of the world is something I have always been fascinated by”

Lesing and Elmira: A Lifelong Journey of Friendship and Art

A 're-post" from "The World in Faces" by Alexander Khimushin:

Today, I found myself in the enchanting remote town of Berd, nestled in the mountains of Tavush Province of Armenia—a place I had never heard of until yesterday. I'm fortunate to be a guest of an extraordinary couple, Lesing (85) and Elmira (85) Agakaryan, who have welcomed me with open arms. As we sip on a delightful cup of freshly brewed coffee, I can't help but admire their vibrant jackets, knitted by Elmira in the 1970s using traditional Armenian patterns—a craft she has cherished all her life.

Once upon a time, Elmira’s family hailed from Berd, where an old family house stood abandoned for years after they moved to the capital, Yerevan. Little did Elmira know that she would one day return to restore that family treasure. Meanwhile, in Yerevan, Elmira's older brother, Wilhelm Matevosyan, became a celebrated Armenian author and art critic. At that time, Elmira was still a schoolgirl.

Lesing fondly reminisces, “We met in high school. I played the tar—a traditional string instrument—in the school band, while Elmira dazzled as a member of the dance troupe. She was breathtaking, and I fell in love the moment I saw her. We've been together ever since.” Over the years, Lesing earned a PhD in physiology and lectured at a university, while Elmira pursued a career in economics. Although their professional paths didn’t lead them into the art world, they were close friends with Wilhelm, who profoundly influenced Lesing's artistic journey. “One day, Wilhelm brought me a sketchbook and urged me to paint again. That rekindled my passion for art at the age of 50, and I’ve been painting for the last 35 years,” he shares. Elmira adds, “My creative path for decades has been traditional embroidery and knitwear, but sadly I had to stop last year due to eyesight issues.”

“After our dear brother and friend Wilhelm passed away, we made a life-changing decision to leave our full-time jobs in Yerevan,” Elmira explains. “We sold everything and returned to Berd, restoring my family home and establishing a free art school for local children. For the past 25 years, we've been living in Berd and running this school, nurturing many young talents. Currently, we have eight students aged 11 to 16.”

I was genuinely amazed to discover such a well-equipped, modern, and sunlit art school in this small and remote Armenian town. Thank you, Lesing and Elmira, for your selflessness and dedication to empowering local children! 

We spent a wonderful day together. As I wrapped up my visit, I couldn't help but ask one last question: After so many years together, what’s the secret to your enduring partnership?

Lesing and Elmira replied, “True friendship. They say men and women can't be friends, but we disagree. It's about two souls connecting. She’s a human being, and he's a human being. We always support each other—that’s what we call real friendship.”

Volker Lohrmann

Entomologist Volker Lohrmann ( 1981) studied biology in Mainz and Berlin. 

From 2006 to 2007 he worked as a scientific volunteer at the “Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe” and from 2007-2010 he did his doctorate scholarship at the “Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes” (German National Academic Foundation). 

Research and field trips, among others, in Arizona, Florida and London. 2011-2014, research assistant at the University of Potsdam, the Museum für Naturkunde (Museum of Natural History) Berlin and the Max-Planck Institute in Bremen. 2012-2014 member of the taxonomy work group of the Leopoldina and Head of the entomology subject area at the Übersee-Museum Bremen since 2013.

Lou Jean

Fourth generation of cow and fighting bull breeder, Lou Jean opened the doors of his bull farm to speak to us about Gascon identity.

James

 

🎻Fionn and Jonathan Angus

Father and son, Fionn and Jonathan Angus, established a social enterprise called Fionnathan Productions which works to create a more inclusive, welcoming and equal society.

Fionn, who has Down Syndrome, has been playing the fiddle for 20 years, and works to ensure the talents of those with disabilities are celebrated. 

As part of this year's festival, TradFest has teamed up with Ablefest, Ireland's largest inclusive music festival, to increase accessibility and make sure everyone has a space on the stage.

Michael Mulcahy

Michael Mulcahy (1952) is an Irish expressionist painter who lives and works in Paris, but returns frequently to Ireland. 

Michael Mulcahy was educated at the Crawford Municipal School of Art in Cork and the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. He has travelled extensively, particularly in north and west Africa where he has lived and worked in the local community.

The Douglas Hyde Gallery in Dublin held a major exhibition of his work in 1994. He has at least one child, a girl, and now resides in Wexford where he opened a working gallery.

Paddy Mayne

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair Mayne (1915 –1955), best known as Paddy Mayne or familiarly as Blair, was a British Army officer from Newtownards. He was an amateur boxing champion, qualified as a solicitor and was capped for Ireland and the British and Irish Lions at rugby union before becoming a founding member of the Special Air Service (SAS).

Serving with distinction during the Second World War, Mayne became one of the British Army's most highly decorated officers. He was controversially denied the Victoria Cross, a decoration which King George VI remarked "so strangely eluded him".

Mayne participated in many night raids deep behind enemy lines in the deserts of Egypt and Libya, where the SAS wrought havoc by destroying many enemy aircraft on the ground. Mayne pioneered the use of military jeeps to conduct surprise hit-and-run raids, particularly on Axis airfields. It was claimed that he had personally destroyed up to 100 aircraft.

After the war, Mayne returned to Newtownards first practising as a solicitor and then becoming Secretary to the Law Society of Northern Ireland. He suffered severe back pain which prevented him even watching rugby as a spectator. He seldom talked about his wartime exploits.

The Guardia di Finanza

The Guardia di Finanza is an Italian law enforcement agency under the authority of the minister of economy and finance. It is a militarized police force, forming a part of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, not the Ministry of Defence.

Obsolete 1980s model

Guardia di Finanza is essentially responsible for dealing with financial crime and smuggling; it has also evolved into Italy's primary agency for suppressing the illegal drug trade. It maintains over 600 boats and ships and more than 100 aircraft to serve in its mission of patrolling Italy's territorial waters. It also has the role of border police and customs duties at Italian airports.

The origins of the Guardia di Finanza date back to 5 October 1774, when the "Light Troops Legion" (Legione truppe leggere) was set up under the King of Sardinia, Victor Amadeus III. This was the first example in Italy of a special corps established and organized for financial surveillance duties along the borders, as well as for military defence.

Members of the Guardia di Finanza wear small diameter green berets.

Hesteyade de Bigorre

 

The Hesteyade de Bigorre is the festival of Pyrenean song and tale, since 1978.

Bastien Miqueu envisioned the return of the singing tradition of mountain countries Béarn and Bigorre.It is part of a geo-cultural area; typically Béarn and Bigorre, but stretching outside these borders as well.

The concept of reliving this singing is to develop this multi-voiced practice in compliance with the social, aesthetic and structural codes that have its origins in the traditional Pyrenean society.

Needless to say, berets are well represented during the festival, and on the arty posters too!

ALAT - Aviation légère de l’armée de Terre

The French Army Light Aviation (Aviation légère de l’armée de Terre, ALAT) is the Army aviation service of the French Army. ALAT was established on 22 November 1954 for observation, reconnaissance, assault and supply duties.

In 1912, the French military aviation was formally incorporated into the French Army, alongside the four longstanding divisions of infantry, cavalry, artillery, and engineers. As such it played important role in WWI in support of the army: observation, artillery guidance, bombing and strafing. In 1934, the aviation division turned into the French Air Force.

Helicopter Crew wearing LBF Berets

After WWII, it was felt that, just like the navy, the army needed its own air branch, distinct from the air force, which led to ALAT's creation in 1954.

Since it has participated in almost all French military engagements and humanitarian aid deployments: the French Indochina War, the Algerian War, the Persian Gulf War of 1990–91, the Lebanese conflict, the war in Chad, the independence of Djibouti, the War in Somalia, operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Kosovo War, the Indonesian occupation of East Timor, the Opération Licorne in Côte d'Ivoire, the humanitarian response to the December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the War in Afghanistan, 2011 military intervention in Libya.

The blue berets were distributed for the first time in July 1954 to the helicopter units of the Army in Indochina (GFHATI). In order to strengthen the cohesion of the GFHATI, Commander CRESPIN wanted to unify the headgear in service, by adopting a beret in "RAF blue" color. Faced with a lack of resources and the slowness of the administration, he had managed to recover, from the quartermaster's office, a stock of blue berets abandoned by the metropolitan paratroopers (NB: the latter nevertheless wore it until 1957).

It is worn tilted on the left side and does not have a rank insignia.

Before the adoption of the ALAT-specific beret badge in 1957, personnel from certain units that already had a corps badge wore it on their beret.

Pakol worn by ALAT members of ISAF, Afghanistan

Since 2018, the 4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment (RHFS) has a new beret. The special forces regiment maintains a strong link with the ALAT, but is now subordinate to the pillar of the Land Special Forces Command.

It reflects the regiment's attachment to the ALAT by keeping the cobalt blue colour of the original beret and projects itself into the new FS pillar by displaying the embroidered CFST insignia, like the former SAS.

The embroidered badge is composed of the wings of the paratroopers on either side of the commandos' dagger, surmounted by the intelligence star.