Dressed to kill

A website called The Cool Hunter points our attention to this disturbing fashion trend:

"'Terror fashion' is about to invade cities. The new French brand Anticon is launching a new concept of hooded sweatshirts. Graffiti artists, people with acne, snowboarders or simply superheroes would certainly be into them. To order your sweatshirt, you'll have to wait a few more weeks but we wanted you to be first in the know. Definitely an eye-catching fashion statement!"

Is this the latest wrinkle in the crass commercialization of repressive symbols such as "CCCP" and "Che Guevara"? Could be. Will Europe's fashion-conscious teens and twentysomethings this fall don the uniform worn by suicide bombers, self-appointed executioners, hijackers and fascist thugs? Let's hope not.

In the wake of the dire bombings in London and, more recently, Bali, Anticon's cynical attempt at mainstreaming terror is indeed a sad commentary. And the strategy could very well blow up in its face.

//Billy McCormac

Update: The creative talent behind Anticon is, of course, not exactly tilling new ground when it comes to co-opting terrorism. (scroll down to view the spoof ad spot)