Hipster Hitler

Welcome to Hipster Hitler, the website that's mixed two awful things into one... it's wrong to say they're equally bad, it's wrong to say he looks better in fake Ray Bans than German khakis and it's wrong to want one of their Eastside - Westside - Genocide T-shirts. Heck, there's nothing right with Hitler... It's a tough job to come up with positive things to say about him, and why should you? Nevertheless, you have to laugh at this website; it's clearly so wrong it's right. Almost.

Sebastián Piñera - The Spin - AnOther Mag

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/588/Sebastián_Piñera

The Spin | Sebastián Piñera

— November 2, 2010—

David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of World Leaders in his column The Spin

Everyone else jumped on the bandwagon so why shouldn’t The Spin be allowed? The Chilean mine crisis might be over but President Sebastián Piñera has just returned from a European tour, during which both the Queen and Prime Minister David Cameron were given rocks from the San Jose mine – so the 60-year-old millionaire is still very much in the worldwide spotlight. Piñera is groundbreaking in recent Chilean history since he is the first Conservative leader to be elected after the fall of military dictator Augusto Pinochet. 


This ideological fact made Piñera’s support and emotional welcome to the 33 miners even more heartfelt. After all, Chile's mining corps live and work on modest levels and standards. Meanwhile, the Harvard-educated professor in economy is one of Chile’s wealthiest people; his broad smile, year-round tan, silver grey hair and robust body frame might be a bit too close to the facial features of Robert Kilroy-Silk’s for his own good, but no one is perfect!


The heavy burden weighing on Piñera’s shoulder is how to re-brand Chile through losing the morbid associations of Pinochet and take the South American country head first into the 21st century. Of course, the happy ending to the “trapped miners” saga helped a great deal. “I hope that from now on when people around the world hear the word Chile, they will not remember the coup d'etat or the dictatorship, they will remember what we had done, all the Chileans together,” Piñera said. But it could have been different. 


On the day of Piñera’s inauguration in March 2010, Chile was the victim of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the centre of the country, killing over 500 people and making 1,000s homeless. After the quake came the tsunami warning… Nevertheless, Sebastián Piñera’s ratings are soaring; he is now one of the people! The mining crisis saw 33 hairy men in Oakley wraparound glasses go free and one man becoming the star, both in his home country and on the worldwide stage. Everyone's a winner…


David Hellqvist is the Commissioning Editor of Dazed Digital, a freelance contributor to Men’s Vogue and GQ in China, AnOther Man, ZOO and i-D Magazines. He also writes the blog Fashion in Politics

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir - The Spin - AnOther Mag

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/537/Jóhanna_Sigurðardóttir

CULTURE

The Spin | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

— October 12, 2010—

David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of World Leaders in his column The Spin

When Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir lost the Icelandic Social Demcocrat party’s leadership election in 1994 she famously said “Minn tími mun koma”, meaning “my time will come”. In January 2009 that went from being an empty threat to a prophecy, because that’s when Sigurðardóttir finally took command of both her party and country. As Iceland’s prime minister she not only became the island’s first female PM, but also the world’s only openly gay leader.


This social, political, sexual and cultural breakthrough, though, is of course not the only thing that Iceland is well known for these days, and the other fame factors are unfortunately not as positive. Only a year ago ill-managed Icelandic banks nearly caused irreparable financial damage in mainland Europe. And then there was that infernal ash cloud…


Crises aside, Iceland has many talented and aesthetically refined aspects to it as well. In terms of music, art and fashion, proportionally Iceland competes successfully with its stylish northern neighbours Scandinavia. And, as far as politicians go, Sigurðardóttir is doing her bit to help out. Her biggest asset is her silver white hair. When paired with a white coat, she looks like an ice princess. Add to that a bold and strong use of red lipstick and you’ll have a lady politician not afraid of standing out. A penchant for over sized necklaces and eye-catching glasses makes for a fairly full-on silhouette.


The former air hostess, with two children from her estranged husband, entered a civil union with author and playwright Jónína Leósdóttir in 2002. The partnership was then upgraded to a same sex marriage when that was legalised in Iceland earlier this year. The 67-year-old Prime Minister might not be on the forefront of a fashionable revolution – not many world leaders are – but it is safe to say that her election revolutionised a few other things, perhaps more important to mention than her choice of lipstick and ice-cold hair colour.


David Hellqvist is the Commissioning Editor of Dazed Digital, a freelance contributor to Men’s Vogue and GQ in China, AnOther Man, ZOO and i-D Magazines. He also writes the blog Fashion in Politics

Hu Jintao - The Spin - AnOther Mag

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/498/Hu_Jintao_Chinese_General_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party

The Spin | Hu Jintao, Chinese General Secretary of the Communist Party

— September 28, 2010—

David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of World Leaders in his column The Spin

Any Chinese General Secretary of the Communist Party will always live, work and dress in the shadow of Mao Zedong. Let’s say it like it is. The current leader, Hu Jintao, is no exception. In power since 2002, Hu Jintao functions under different statesmanship rules compared to most other politicians; the Communist way of doing things is “slightly” less democratic than elsewhere, enabling Hu a higher degree of political freedom.


But Hu isn’t a one-man-party machine. As a member of the nine man strong Politburo Standing Committee, Hu shares ideas, ideology, power and responsibility with a handful of other high-fliers. Nevertheless, it is with Hu that the buck stops. Once considered a liberal softie, Hu has since showed his true side and is rumoured to have had a hand in the cruel and violent handling of the protesters on Tiananmen Square in 1989.


Hu entered politics in 1964, at the height of Mao’s cultural revolution. If he was equally inspired by Mao’s characteristic clothing habits as his firm political beliefs he’s not showing that today. Chinese politicians stopped wearing the Zhongshan suit long ago, which was designed by Sun Yat-sen just after Mao’s takeover. Instead, Hu prefers a non-descript dark suit and anonymously coloured, often red, ties. Like most communist states, China favours a clothing pattern that prevents individuality: it’s about being one of the people, and that seems to go for the leadership as well, whether they wear khaki green uniforms or dull suits.


Say what you want about Mao, but there’s no denying both his political and sartorial impact. That’s never likely to be said of Hu, a man who allegedly counts table tennis and ballroom dancing as his hobbies. It is quite telling then, that one of the few of his recorded sayings is as dry as the man himself appears to be: “Success in life requires resolve, attention to concrete matters and courage in making decisions.”


David Hellqvist is the Commissioning Editor of Dazed Digital, a freelance contributor to Men’s Vogue and GQ in China, AnOther Man, ZOO and i-D Magazines. He also writes the blog Fashion in Politics

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva - The Spin - AnOther Mag

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/422/Luiz_Inácio_Lula_da_Silva_the_President_of_Brazil

The Spin | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil

— September 7, 2010—

David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of World Leaders in his column The Spin

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva: don’t you just want to snuggle him? And they call him Lula! Politicians aren’t meant to be cuddly, they’re supposed to look like Dick Cheney and have steely, unforgiving names like Helmut Kohl. No wonder Brazil has re-elected Da Silva twice as its president since he took power in 2002. Riding on the same wave of unquestioning goodwill as Chavez in Venezuela and the Kirchners in Argentina, Lula has even had his electability confirmed by POTUS Barack Obama, who famously pointed at him during the April 2009 G20 meeting in London and said, "That's my man right there – the most popular politician on earth."


I suppose Obama, too, was referring to the general cuteness and pleasantness of Lula’s facial features. He’s got kind eyes to start with, and a friendly smile. But it’s the silver-grey beard that ticks the last box. Doesn’t he remind you of your grandpa? Or is it just mine he looks like? It doesn’t matter who you think of, you just want to feed him Werther’s Orginals…


Like many of his leftwing comrades in South America (all hail Fidel Castro), Lula has been in for a fair amount of criticism. Throughout his presidency, corruption charges have been hurled at the government. During the 2005 Mensalão scandal, the attorney general pressed charges against 40 Brazilian politicians, but nothing was ever been pinned on Lula. His popularity has gained him – aside from Obama’s admiration and utterly ridiculous commentary – several awards, including the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. For some reason.


Unlike his fellow Socialists, Lula does not subscribe to the leftwing uniform of Chavez (red) and the Castro brothers (khaki). The tone is sombre, the suits dark. The only real colour that Lula allows himself is the yellow Brazilian football shirt he is sometimes seen waving. Finally, a politician who knows how to play his best asset in order to win the game…




Owain Thomas is a freelance illustrator who works in the area of illustrative journalism. He has been commissioned in The Guardian Newspaper as well as magazines and books such as Arc Magazine, Amelia's Magazine, Notes from the Underground, Indian journalists and Filament Publishers

Hamid Karzai - The Spin - AnOther Mag

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/393/Hamid_Karzai_Afghan_President

The Spin | Hamid Karzai, Afghan President

— August 24, 2010—

David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of World Leaders in his column The Spin

Once labelled “the most chic man in the world” by Tom Ford, Afghan president Hamid Karzai has a lot to live up to. Since taking power shortly after the US-led invasion in 2001, Karzai has of course had many pressing matters to attend to that are more important than his early morning wardrobe decisions. But there’s no doubt that Mr Karzai is very effective at pursuing and entertaining an image of himself, something that – intentionally or not – is strong enough to grant him coverage in The New Statesman, as well as GQ magazine.


Anyone – politician or otherwise – who cultivates a trademark look is anxious to be associated with a certain aesthetic, and this – as we know – is more often than not a good thing in politics. In Karzai’s case it is, of course, his astrakhan hat that has gained him attention. Headwear in general is unusual on the political stage, bar Castro’s army cap and Boris Yeltsin’s giant Russian fur hats. But that makes his sartorial stance even stronger: the Karakul sheepskin hat – even though it’s probably a national staple piece – has gained him international admirers and fashion icon status, as Tom Ford’s statement proves.


Add to that Karzai’s silver-grey hair and beard, a subtle colour palette of stylish khakis and blue-grey tones, and a seemingly endless collection of Nehru-collar shirts. The latter and his general state of tie-lessness is a by-product of anti-western dress customs in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries, but it provides an excellent platform to build and develop a forward-thinking and unique wardrobe befitting a statesman. The only downside to Hamid Karzai’s hat, and indirectly his whole look, is that the karakul wool comes from aborted lamb foetuses… The price we pay for fashion, eh!


David Hellqvist is the Commissioning Editor of Dazed Digital, a freelance contributor to Men’s Vogue and GQ in China, AnOther Man, ZOO and i-D Magazines. He also writes the blog Fashion in Politics

The Spin - Fredrik Reinfeldt - AnOther Mag

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/373/Fredrik_Reinfeldt_The_Swedish_Prime_Minister

The Spin | Fredrik Reinfeldt, The Swedish Prime Minister

— August 11, 2010—

David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of World Leaders in his column The Spin

Who is David Cameron’s political role model? Some might say Margaret Thatcher, or even Tony Blair. But the truth is that Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt is the actual architect of the neo-conservative governmental system Britain has today. Not following? Well, think about it. After years on the opposition bench under the rule of old school Conservative leaders, a new, fresh, vigorous and forward thinking leader is elected. He spends years changing the image of the party: in with the new, out with the old.


The government has been in power for ten years and people are tired of the same old faces. All of a sudden the once-hated and moderate party has become a positive force to reckoned with. Less right, more centre; less selfish, more considerate. All of a sudden there’s an alternative. An election approaches and the old and boring party is ahead in the polls. But an absolute majority is not reached, and a centre-right coalition is formed. Britain in 2010? Yes, but the same happened in Sweden over four years ago.


Fredrik Reinfeldt is an exact political copy of Cameron. Or, rather, it’s the other way around! Young, “cool” and energetic, Reinfeldt has reinvigorated Swedish politics. The first thing he did was appoint a Chancellor of the Exchequer with a ponytail and earring. Sure, there were a few unavoidable setbacks and mistakes have been made, but with a new election looming in September, Reinfeldt’s Moderate party (and its fellow coalition bedfellows) is currently set for another victory.


Encroaching baldness has led to Reinfeldt shaving his head. His looks are quite far from your traditional politician, and that’s partly why he was so successful in re-branding his dying party. Like Cameron, Reinfeldt doesn’t miss an opportunity to take off his jacket, loosen the tie and roll up the shirtsleeves: “I’m a man of the people, I’m just like you. And you. And you!” Yeah, right. But the fact remains: Reinfeldt isn’t just popular for his policies. A recent “best dressed” poll by Swedish men’s lifestyle magazine King put him ahead with 56% of the votes. It’s clear that individuality is high up on Reinfeld’s agenda: in an interview with newspaper Dagens Nyheter, Reinfeldt claimed that the fashion trend that he never wanted to se again was “party uniforms,” and that the politician he admired most, sartorially speaking, was the Russian prime minister, Vladimir Putin.


David Hellqvist is the Commissioning Editor of Dazed Digital, a freelance contributor to Men’s Vogue and GQ in China, AnOther Man, ZOO and i-D Magazines. He also writes the blog Fashion in Politics