Here is Jeremy Corbyn – Labour leader, democratic socialist and coup-magnet – leaving his home yesterday in Islington, London, wearing a Harrington-style Polo jacket. So that’s the incumbent Labour leader, man of the people and a man on thin ice, wearing Ralph Lauren.
There’s quite a lot to unpack, not least because in wearing branded Ralph Lauren he’s doing it knowingly. But is any of it as problematic as it seems? The cost isn’t that noteworthy; £150 isn’t an eye-watering amount for an all-weather jacket, even if it doesn’t quite correlate with his image. Nor is it the style. Corbyn was active in the 1960s. So were Harrington jackets. It’s unlikely he was a mod, but still, the jacket has become synonymous with men of a certain age and, in turn, the political walk of shame (Chris Huhne wore a Harrington upon exiting prison in 2013). He’s also worn the jacket several times before, famously while addressing a crowd of 400 at the “Love Islington” anti-racism rally in London’s Highbury Fields.
No what’s remarkable is quite how on-trend he is given his previous aversion to style. It’s the label of choice among Pharrell, Jay Z and the Lo-Life crew in New York. It’s a bestseller on Wavey Garms, a fairly reliable menswear savant, not to mention the crux of the current 1990s resurgence.
Despite its affiliations with poshness and bankers, Ralph Lauren the designer is for the most part a Democrat and since the early 1980s, it’s reported he has donated almost $45,000 to political candidates and campaigns, including the Democratic National Committee and Democrat-related political action groups. Obama is a fan and vice versa. And as for the polo bit, well, that was an aesthetic thing – four letters just looks nicer than many: “I couldn’t call it Basketball,” Lauren told TIME magazine.
The future of the Labour party is not, and should not be, hinged on Corbyn’s wardrobe but still, the recognisable branding, the style, it is an interesting look for a man who was, at the time, waiting to hear the High Court ruling on whether he needs MPs’ nominations to stand in the Labour leadership election (the challenge to the ballot has since been rejected). And to be fair, he looks decent in it.
