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Election-winning outfit: What’s the deal about Erdogan’s checkered ‘winner’ blazer?

Election-winning outfit: What's the deal about Erdogan's checkered 'winner' blazer?
By Yagiz Efe Parmaksiz
Mar 31, 2024 6:32 PM

The blazer, deemed a symbol of good luck and fortune, has won people’s hearts, occupying a unique place in Turkish political and fashion history

As Türkiye focuses on the 2024 local elections, political debates and election promises, an extraordinary topic from the fashion world takes center stage: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s famous checkered “winner” blazer.
 
This blazer has transcended being merely a fashion choice to becoming a political symbol in its own way.
 
But why is this blazer so popular and why is it called the “election-winning” outfit?

Popularity born from misunderstanding

The story begins with President Erdogan’s interaction with youth at an event.
 
During the event, one of the audience members held a banner that read: “I’ve seen you on a rainy day. You were wearing your winner jacket.” The slogan – which had a metaphorical meaning – was misunderstood by the president.
 
Erdogan mistook “winner” for a brand and responded: “I am local and national; I don’t wear those.”
 
This incident made rounds on social media, with users referring to the blazer as a symbol of fortune and luck.
 
Soon after the incident, the blazer ended up having a “winning persona” attached to it. 

Fashion Icon on Election Day

On the day of the local elections in Türkiye, the question of whether President Erdogan will wear this famous jacket has ignited curiosity.
 
Political analysts and fashion commentators note that this jacket significantly influenced Erdogan’s election campaign, bolstering his “local and national” image.
 
President Erdogan’s checkered “winner” blazer is not just a fashion choice but also a political symbol and bearer of good luck that has made its mark on history.
 
Beyond winning elections, this blazer has won the people’s hearts, occupying a unique place in Turkish political and fashion history.
 
Regardless of the election outcomes, the “winner” blazer holds a special place in the memories of Erdogan and his supporters.

Source: Newsroom

Last Updated:  Jun 5, 2024 9:43 PM