United in splendor

One of my favorite yearly political rituals is seeing what the world's leaders are forced to wear at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit. I think it's great that some of the most powerful people in the world dutifully line up for photos wearing whatever native garb the host nation's chosen--outfits that usually I've never seen anyone, 'native' or not, wear in public before.

There's something fleetingly egalitarian and almost anachronistic about seeing the American president, in particular, robed outlandishly along with his peers (and not-so-peers).

I imagine soon after the summit disbands thousands if not millions of huts in some 3rd World country adorned with torn-out newspaper photos of the world's grand pooh-bahs, dressed as one of their own. Heck, apart from the Ms. Universe pageant, it's often the one chance the hosts have of exposing the entire world to their sartorial heritage (or lack thereof).

Of course, it's entirely possible the hosts, under the guise of 'tradition', are just trying to top each other in coming up with ridiculous color combinations and fabrics.

If so, this year's Vietnamese outfits may be hard to beat. In the artfully headlined World leaders ill at ease over tunics and North Korea, the London Telegraph wrote:

The leaders of most of the world's major powers were united in discomfort yesterday as they posed in traditional silk tunics following a summit in Vietnam – but failed to show the same common purpose over North Korea.

A tight-lipped George W Bush looked especially unimpressed with his pastel blue ao dai, a flowing garment that is nowadays worn almost exclusively by women.

Next to him stood a similarly grim-looking Vladimir Putin of Russia, although Hu Jintao, the Chinese leader, appeared more comfortable.

On a slender female form the ao dai, a clinging piece of clothing slit to above the hip, is elegant and alluring, but when sported by middle-aged Caucasian men is substantially less flattering.

The male version, cut slightly differently, has been largely abandoned by Vietnamese men, even on formal occasions. Mr Bush took the first chance he had to remove his once the official photo call was finished, an annual ritual at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit.

The tradition began in Seattle in 1993, when President Clinton offered his guests leather bomber jackets, and they have gone on to don Indonesian batik, Philippine barong made of pineapple fibres and Mexican ponchos.

This year, the leaders had a choice of five colours of ao dai, all of them embroidered with golden lotus flowers. In feudal times yellow was reserved for the king, but it was chosen only by the Thai prime minister and the Vietnamese president, while the Sultan of Brunei, the sole monarch, picked green.

The majority wore blue — traditionally the uniform of petty officials — while all three women leaders dressed in pink.

Despite their efforts to proclaim a united front over North Korea's nuclear ambitions, the positions they took, though sheathed in diplomatic nuances, were almost as varied as the hues of their silks.

In 2007, it's Australia's turn to host. In anticipation, the Sydney Morning Herald ran an article, Embarrassments: Next time, it's singlets, that started:

It's all very well mocking the dresses worn by political leaders at the end of the APEC meeting in Vietnam this year, but can you do any better? Next year Australia is the host of this summit, and we'd better start now if we're going to design a garment that doesn't shame us in front of the world. That's the challenge this column is setting you this week.

There's a funny comment from a reader in response:

With respect to attire for next year's APEC meeting. We have essentially two options: (i) refer to "Ten Canoes" for traditional Australian attire. (ii) Prison clothes (after all, was it not Governor Macquarie who said there are 2 types of people in Australia - those who have been convicted and those who should have been? Perhaps that has some relevance to those attending the APEC meeting.

AP photo and caption of President Bush talking with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, rear, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada talked to President Michelle Bachelet of Chile, foreground [apparently the two Asian leaders are invisible!] at the economic summit meeting of Asian nations in Vietnam by Tom Hanson/Canadian Press, via the Times.






APEC leaders in South Korea (2005), Chile (2004), Thailand 2003), Mexico (2002), and China (2001) found in various places online. For selected other years, go to Sydney Morning Herald's slideshow.