Che Guevara at Fashion Week Dear White People

A Che jacket being worn at a Bush inauguration protest in 2005

The Che Guevara tendency, or "Che chichi",^[1] is a fashion trend featuring the Argentinian-born revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. The phenomenon has attracted attention from the media, political commentators, songwriters,^[two] and Cuban American activists due to the popularity of the T-shirt pattern, Che'southward political behavior, and the "irony" of ownership a T-shirt depicting a Marxist icon. As op-ed commentator Chris Berg noted in The Age, "Ironically, Che Guevara's longevity as a cultural symbol has been thanks to the very economic organisation he sought to destroy".^[1]

Popularity [edit]

Che Guevara's epitome is a popular design for clothing, so much then that Che'due south likeness has been known as "the face that launched a yard T-shirts".^[3] ^[4] Commentators accept noted how the T-shirt is popular among younger adults, especially university students drawn to the rebelliousness associated with the icon. Richard Castle of the Brisbane Times wryly observes that "strolling down Brunswick Street or Chapel Street, information technology could be easy to think Che Guevara was the simply human under 40 never to have worn a Che Guevara T-shirt".^[5] The recent popularity of Che-related fashion has been attributed to economic troubles, which brand Che'due south message more appealing.^[6]

History [edit]

The epitome depicted on Che chic is based on the Guerrillero Heroico photo. It is unknown when the photo was first used as a fashion design,^[vii] although it was first given an artistic rework in a serial of 1967 posters by the Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick.^[8]

Response [edit]

The popularity of the trend has been criticised for downplaying Che's perceived flaws and romanticising his actions. Critics claim that youth back up the icon without being aware of the controversial figure behind it, who has been accused of using violence every bit a means to reach his objectives and supposedly "driving Cuba into economic disaster" by helping to overthrow the US-backed Batista dictatorship.^[1] Critics have chosen the trend a "T-shirt fad".^[ix]

Members of the Cuban exile customs have voiced opposition to Che chic and other depictions of Che as a pop cultural icon for the same reasons.^[10]

Aleida Guevara, the eldest daughter of Che Guevara, has defended the mode trend derived from her male parent'due south epitome, saying, "But look at the people who wear Che T-shirts. They tend to be those who don't suit, who desire more from society, who are wondering if they can be improve human beings. That, I call up, he would have liked".^[iii]

References [edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c Berg, Chris (Oct 14, 2007). "Che chichi: you've ignored the horrors, now buy the T-shirt". The Age . Retrieved November 5, 2010.
^ "Domicile".
^ ^a ^b Chrisafis, Angelique (May 3, 2003). "Che, my father: His face adorned the T-shirts and posters of a student generation. Fifty-fifty 35 years after his death Che Guevara remains an icon. But to his daughter Aleida he is the mysterious visitor who gave her sweets". The Guardian . Retrieved Nov 5, 2010.
^ Porter, Barney (October 8, 2007). "Che Guevara remembered". ABC News . Retrieved Nov 5, 2010.
^ Castles, Richard (June 28, 2009). "Have a life, willing to buy the T-shirt". Brisbane Times . Retrieved November v, 2010.
^ White, Tanika (Apr 4, 2005). "Mean WHAT YOU Clothing ; This year'southward T-shirt has something to get off its wearer's breast". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved August three, 2004.
^ Watkins, Valentine (May three, 2010). "Absurd t-shirt, bro". Salient . Retrieved November v, 2010.
^ Trisha Ziff, Che Guevara: Revolutionary & Icon, Abrams Prototype, 2006, pg 21
^ Bowen III, DK (October 23, 2007). "Che Guevara: once a revolutionary, now just a T-shirt fad". The Collegian. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
^ Marquez, Myriam (April 4, 2005). "Revolutionist Che Guevara T-Shirts Keep Reality Under Wraps". Clarkson Academy. Retrieved Nov v, 2010.