From dire to iconic: 6 times European leaders tried to make the power hoodie work

There’s a new entry in the world of political fashion statements: The humble hoodie.

In a world where a politician’s public image can make or break them, what they choose to wear can hold great significance. The hoodie — once the preferred attire of hip-hop artists, skateboarders and Silicon Valley tech bros — is now a staple in the wardrobes of world leaders, from the French president to the ex-British prime minister.

But who wore it best? And who should’ve left it on the hanger? We’ve pulled together a totally scientific sartorial analysis.

The worst: Ramzan Kadyrov

The secret to elevating an outfit is to accessorize. When Chechen warlord and Putin pal Ramzan Kadyrov published a video gleefully driving his brand-new Tesla Cybertruck specially fitted with a gun turret around the grounds of his palace, keen observers noticed he’d draped an ammo belt around his shoulders over a black hoodie.

Unfortunately, the effect was more dress to oppress than dress to impress, so to speak, and made him look like a gun-toting Dementor from “Harry Potter.” But he gets points for effort.

Still pretty dire: Rishi Sunak

If the idea is that swapping a stuffy suit for a sweatshirt allows you to project a more laid-back aesthetic, it maybe isn’t the best idea to pair it with a shirt and tie.

Someone should have probably told former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that before he chucked on a hoodie over a starched collar and red tie for an HM Treasury photoshoot back when he was chancellor, giving a distinctly finance bro look. “Did Rishi Sunak just kill the hoodie?” The Independent asked after the pictures were released.

It’s not the first time he’s blended formal and casual attire in an attempt to seem hip, with less-than-stellar results, such as when he was mocked for wearing Adidas sneakers with a white shirt and slacks.

To be fair, Sunak was always going to struggle portraying himself as the sort of everyman who lounges around in sweatshirts, what with his preference for tailored suits, Prada loafers and a personal net worth reportedly bigger than that of King Charles.

Acceptable: Donald Tusk

Sometimes, a suit just isn’t appropriate when people are suffering. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk took a page out of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s book this week as he led a crisis meeting amid the country’s devastating floods clad in a dark hoodie.

He’s also previously been papped wearing what appears to be an Abercrombie & Fitch hoodie while taking out the trash, though, so maybe he just likes being cozy.

Snazzy: Emmanuel Macron

The French have long been known for their chic style and fashion trendsetting, and President Emmanuel Macron is no exception, with a wardrobe full of sharply tailored suits and leather bomber jackets.

So his official photographer set social media ablaze when she posted photos of the president hard at work at the Élysée Palace wearing a baggy black hoodie emblazoned with a French special forces insignia in 2022. Not only that, but the ordinarily clean-shaven Macron was sporting stubble, along with rakishly ruffled hair and jeans.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Soazig de la Moissonnière (@soazigdelamoissonniere)

The cool factor was offset somewhat by the clearly staged nature of the pics. And yet, somehow, Macron pulled it off. As POLITICO Europe’s editor-in-chief observed, the French president is a fan of hoodies, changing out of a suit and into one, then back into a suit, on a three-hour flight in China. That’s commitment.

Iconic: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

If there’s one leader who has single-handedly popularized the hoodie in political circles as a symbol of getting down to business, it’s Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The leader has worn only plain black and olive-green sweatshirts, T-shirts and hoodies since Russia’s brutal full-scale invasion of his country in early 2022.

Foregoing customary formal attire in favor of a more rugged, army-toned wardrobe, complete with scruffy facial hair, is a deliberate statement by the Ukrainian president, reflecting his country’s grim fight for survival and placing him in solidarity with the armed forces. According to the Financial Times’ Kyiv correspondent, Zelenskyy vowed that he won’t go back to wearing a suit and tie and shaving his beard until Ukrainian victory in the war.

As a result, Zelenskyy is easily the leader most associated with casual wear. In fact, when Macron wore a hoodie, The Times said he was emulating “the Zelenskyy look.”