North Korea’s Kim Jong-un wears ‘banned’ black leather coat to mark 10 years since his father’s death
- Thinner and also thin-skinned it would seem, the North Korean leader banned citizens from wearing black leather coats like his lest it challenge his authority
- The coat he wore to mark Kim Jong-il’s death isn’t his only fashion statement – he’s also worn a camel coat that wouldn’t look out of place on a Prada runway
This month marks the 10th anniversary of the ascension to power of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un who, on December 17, commemorated the death of his father and predecessor, Kim Jong-il.
For the sombre ceremony, a visibly thinner Kim wore one of his favourite outfits: a double-breasted trench coat in black leather.
Kim’s leather coat, which he has previously worn in several public outings, made headlines earlier this year, when the North Korean government banned its citizens from wearing black leather coats after copycat versions of the leader’s go-to wardrobe staple started proliferating in the country.
According to a report by Radio Free Asia, the leader was unhappy with the idea of people emulating his style, as “wearing clothes designed to look like the Highest Dignity’s is an ‘impure trend to challenge the authority of the Highest Dignity’”.
During the mourning period, which is set to last 11 days, North Koreans have been banned from drinking alcohol, engaging in leisure activities, and even laughing. On the exact day of Kim Jong-il’s death, December 17, even grocery shopping was forbidden by the totalitarian regime.
Politics aside, Kim knows how to wrap up in a luxurious coat. In 2019, he made a fashion statement while riding a horse in the snow, clad in a camel coat with a fur collar that flattered his full figure and wouldn’t have looked out of place on a Prada runway.
