Colonel Qaddafi—A Life in Fashion

Since completing his transition from international pariah to statesman, Colonel Muammar Qaddafi—the longest-serving leader in both Africa and the Arab world—has brought color and his own eccentric panache to the drab circuit of international summits and conferences. Drawing upon the influences of Lacroix, Liberace, Phil Spector (for hair), Snoopy, and Idi Amin, Libya’s leader—now in his 60s—is simply the most unabashed dresser on the world stage. We pay homage to a sartorial genius of our time.

By HENRY PORTER and ANNABEL DAVIDSON

WEB EXCLUSIVE August 12, 2009

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Qaddafi, in a lineup of G8 leaders at a summit this year in L’Aquila, Italy, channels Saturday Night Fever in a white suit under the traditional Arabic bisht, accessorized with a small billboard of medals and, on his right breast, a brooch of Africa, just in case anyone forgot that Muammar is the president of the African Union. From UPI/Landov.

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