Looking presidential: If presumed presidential nominees Barack Obama and John McCain are looking for a fashion role model, they might try Ronald Reagan.
Menswear brand Hickey Freeman decided to use the 40th president as the inspiration for its new “presidential” collection. Reagan’s preferred suit style — with a high, broad shoulder and suppressed waist — created an image that married elegance with assertiveness, said Jon Morales, the company’s vice president and creative director.
Presidents traditionally wear suits, not sportcoats and slacks, because there is a seriousness implied by a suit, he said. It’s for a professional, not for a personality.
Hickey Freeman, which has outfitted presidents for more than 100 years, decided to launch this new collection with the targeted audience of business leaders because the times call for earnestness, said Paulette Garafalo, CEO and group president of Hart Schaffner Marx Luxury.
“Happy-go-lucky would seem wrong right now.”
Associated Press
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
