Russia Creates Offensive Crimea-Inspired Clothing Line

This fashion line from the Russian goverment has a very dark inspiration behind it.

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Complex Original

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The actual Russian government has teamed up with one of the country's designers to create an extremely insensitive clothing line inspired by the annexation of Crimea. The new clothing line entitled Army of Russia is a joint effort between the Russian defense ministry and designer Leonid Alexeev.

The clothing line features army-inspired garb, like heavy black boots, military green outerwear, bomber jackets, and balaclavas, the last of which was famously worn by Russian troops during the 2014 invasion of Crimea. "I wanted to build a system which would make high-quality and beautiful things that can serve as promotion for the army," Alexeev told Russia's Time Out

Stores have been explicitly told that the clothing line is inspired by "the Crimean Spring." The clothing line will let people "lead an active lifestyle and share military values — patriotism, camaraderie and mobility," a shop owner told The Calvert Journal.

The clothing line uses graphics to reference Russia's seizure of Crimea. Some of the pieces are printed with the word "polite," which is a reference to what Russia called its soldiers invading Crimea. The term "Polite men" was invented by Russia to put a positive spin on its military force, according to the BBC

This isn't the first time Russia has used fashion to reference the unrest in the Ukraine. Last year, a Russian fashion show paraded little girls with guns on the runway and depicted the model who represented Crimea shooting herself.  

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[via The Washington Post]

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