Kim Jong-un has decided to ban this garment, which has apparently become too popular. From now on, only the North Korean dictator is allowed to wear it.
The fashion police are cracking down in North Korea. As reported by Radio Free Asia, Kim Jong-un has decreed that people are no longer allowed to wear leather coats. The reason? The North Korean dictator's favourite item had become far too popular. The local authorities are therefore being asked to confiscate leather jackets from residents who dare to wear them in public.
This ready-to-wear item became popular in 2019, after an appearance on television by Kim Jong-un. While leather coats, imported from China, were initially bought by the wealthy class of the population, brands are now offering garments in imitation leather, made in the country and therefore accessible to everyone.
To put an end to cheap imitations, the fashion police patrol the streets to confiscate jackets from vendors and citizens sporting this look in public. For the regime, this is a lack of respect for Kim Jong-un and only the party can decide "who can wear them". As Radio Free Asia reports, a genuine leather coat in North Korea costs around €30, compared with €14 for a leatherette. The average monthly salary in North Korea in 2018 was €0.58, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily.
