The brown stuff hitting the proverbial fan in Iran has meant images of riot police all over the media last week, proving yet again how cool they look. Riot police are fashion geniuses; their constantly evolving uniforms are just about the only thing you can wear that doesn't look like some sort of revival of the stuff people wore 20 years ago. Riot gear is where it's at–it's definitely not a retro look, and anything with a built-in six-pack is hot stuff in fashion terms. The padded and armored gloves, jackets, and trousers are menswear heaven–it's techy, nearly all black and definitely not for pussies.Rioting used to be something you did because you were starving or to stop the government from stealing your land. But in 1968, students in Paris, lead by Daniel Cohn Bendit (who later wrote some dubious stuff about sex and kids but is now a European Parliament bigwig and talks less shit than most politicians) made rioting chic. Those French rioters look pretty lame now, in their wannabe beatnik, throwback (even then), style. Sure, Berlin's rioters can work punk at a protest, but it's the hated riot cops who always look best.Given that riot gear's ever-improving functional design makes it ever more RoboCop-like, and that every movie seems to think the future will be a dystopian disaster, riot cop style is probably a glimpse of fashion's tomorrow. If not, it's definitely the shape of hardcore gay discos to come, and a pretty good way for Frontline Assembly fans (and industrial anarchists in general) to update their look too.These screen grabs from Security Pro USA show off the latest threads, fashions, and accessories available. Other suppliers include Policeone.com and British boot manufacturer Magnum, whose executives like to wear t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan "Dressed to Kill" at trade shows.
Advertisement
