Che GuevaraThe world’s most fashionable Marxist

By Rebecca Jones

Our image sends a message. The way we choose to dress, wear our makeup, and style our hair is what makes us recognisable, and reveals an aspect of our personalities to the people around us. Our clothes can often be used to make a political statement, and Marxist Revolutionist Ernest ‘Che’ Guevara’s face is used for just that purpose.a

Guevara’s long hair and beret have been used to send a message across the globe, but why?

Well, the answer is complicated.

Born in Rosario, Argentina, Che Guevara was a revolutionist and political figure who played key roles in a coup in Guatemala, and the Cuban Revolution. He was a medical student with a desire to overthrow the capitalist exploitation of Latin America throughout the 1950s. He was later President of the National Bank of Cuba and played a major part in the Cuban government. He was nowhere near as famous until later in his life, with other leading revolutionaries such as Fidel Castro being photographed and reported on much more, until he was favoured by international political figures, pushing his image to mainstream media during the mid 1960s. Even before his media exposure, he had a very recognisable image, wearing a beret and military fatigues even during his time working in the government, and when giving speeches.

Students in the United States would grow their hair and beards out, and wear military fatigues and berets in order to resemble Guevara, as a display of rebellion against the US government he so vehemently hated. This style also caught on with the Black Panther Party, a MarxistLeninist and black power political organisation founded in the 1960s, who wore black berets. These are some of the earliest examples of Guevara’s image being used to represent leftist ideas, and the idea of revolution in general.

As time went on, Guevara’s picture (specifically Guerrillero Heroico taken by Alberto Korda) began being printed on everything: t-shirts, flags, badges, bags, and everything else you could think of; his face was everywhere; even celebrities, such as Jay-Z, Madonna, and even Prince Harry have been spotted wearing his image. David Segal said, ‘the guy’s face is shorthand for “I’m against the status quo.”’, and that couldn’t be truer. As time went on his face represented an idea more than a person, and even that idea was diluted. His widespread popularity caused many to forget about what he truly stood for and turned him into a mascot for anyone that considered themselves anti-establishment, making his politics more palatable for the everyday person.

The sad truth is, while so many people recognise his face, a good deal of them won’t know his story, and some won’t even know his name. Fashion can be a great tool to send a message, but oftentimes that message can be diluted and altered through time and popularity.