Buzz
The Third Reich left an indelible mark on history. The dark legacy of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party is overwhelmingly vile and far-reaching. Initiating the largest war the world has ever witnessed while perpetrating genocides on an unparalleled scale is a guaranteed way to etch their name into history. However, Nazi Germany's impact extends to many other unexpected areas as well.
Here are 10 examples of how the Fuhrer and his associates left their mark on the fashion world.
10. They Valued Style
The Nazis may have embodied some of the darkest forces in history, but they were savvy when it came to branding. Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, understood the immense influence of image. He recognized that tattered military uniforms did little to invoke fear. But immaculate uniforms designed to project power, making the wearer appear tall, broad, and formidable, left an indelible impact.
Goebbels was notorious for his attention to detail, especially regarding fashion. It's rumored that he owned a vast collection of suits to ensure he never repeated an outfit within the same year.
By maintaining such a distinct and recognizable appearance, Goebbels created a powerful brand identity for the Nazis. This fusion of military force and fashion had never been so deliberate, and it made a significant mark. The influence of Nazi-inspired aesthetics has since been felt in the world of high fashion.
9. Their Uniforms Became the Archetype for ‘Evil’
Since the 1930s, Nazi uniforms have become the quintessential symbol for 'evil' in costume design. Given the horrific nature of their crimes and the unimaginable atrocities the Nazis were responsible for, it's no surprise that modern fiction often draws inspiration from their look when creating villains.
Nazism is an easy shorthand for audiences to recognize that the antagonists are truly villainous. This trope is repeated frequently in films. Take George Lucas’s The Empire Strikes Back as an example. The Galactic Empire's military-inspired uniforms bear a striking resemblance to those of the Third Reich. Lucas himself has acknowledged this connection:
“The Nazis are basically the same costume as we used in the first film, and they are designed to be very authoritarian, very Empire-like.”
8. Coco Chanel
When Hitler’s forces began their invasion of Europe, Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel was already a well-established and highly respected fashion designer. Known to the world as “Coco,” she had revolutionized fashion with the sleek and iconic 'little black dress.' However, the Nazi occupation of France would propel her into even greater fame, albeit in the most unexpected way.
Instead of resisting or fleeing, Chanel chose to align herself with the Nazi regime. She took a German lover, Hans Gunther von Dincklage, and became a spy, aiding the recruitment efforts of the Third Reich.
After the war ended, far from facing public backlash for her actions, Chanel quickly reclaimed her status as the leading French fashion designer of the era. She wasted no time in rebuilding her empire. In fact, rumors about her ties to Nazi Germany seemed to give the Chanel brand even more publicity, along with a certain mystique and aura of invulnerability.
7. Toothbrush Mustaches
It may seem absurd now, but the toothbrush mustache was once quite popular. If not for Adolf Hitler's decision to adopt it, we might still see it gracing the upper lips of men today. Before the Fuhrer, it was a fashionable style of mustache. Icons like Oliver Hardy and Charlie Chaplin, two of the biggest stars of their time, both wore it proudly, inspiring countless men to follow their lead.
Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t Chaplin who influenced Hitler's choice to sport the toothbrush mustache. That’s an urban legend. Initially, Hitler had a longer mustache in the popular handlebar style. However, while serving in World War I, the mustache would interfere with his gas mask. So, he trimmed it down and kept it that way for the rest of his life.
6. Hugo Boss
Earlier, we discussed how Joseph Goebbels made sure Nazi officers were always impeccably dressed. This was never more evident than when he oversaw the design and production of the uniforms for the most feared Nazi military unit, the Schutzstaffel (commonly known as the 'SS').
The mere sight of the black dress uniforms, coupled with the chilling Death’s Head Skull emblem on their caps, was enough to instill terror. The color black, historically associated with evil, and the Death’s Head Skull—well, they spoke for themselves.
Goebbels instructed Munich-based tailor Hugo Boss and his team to create the SS uniforms. At that time, Boss was already producing the infamous 'brown shirts' worn by the Sturmabteilung, the notorious paramilitary group that was decimated during the violent left-wing purge of 1934, known as 'The Night of the Long Knives.'
When high-ranking Nazis gave orders, compliance was non-negotiable. Therefore, while Hugo Boss’s involvement in the SS uniform production is undeniable, it’s hard to place all the blame on him. That said, he did oversee a production line that relied heavily on forced labor.
Many of you probably still buy Hugo Boss suits, cologne, and sunglasses. But would you continue to support the brand if you knew about its role during World War II? If it helps, the company has since issued an apology for its actions during that time.
5. Dior
Even as his sister fought in the French Resistance and was captured by the Gestapo, fashion designer Christian Dior kept a low profile, working for the Nazis. He often created dresses and outfits for the wives of high-ranking officers. Some labeled him a traitor and a pawn of the Germans, but from Dior's perspective, he was simply doing what was necessary to sustain French haute couture.
Before World War II, Dior worked as a designer at the respected fashion house of Lucien Lelong. However, the Nazi occupation of France and his desire to preserve French fashion as the global epicenter led Dior to establish his own fashion house. This decision would make him a household name worldwide.
4. Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton handbags are among the most recognizable and prestigious in the world. During the Nazi invasion of France in 1940 and the subsequent control of the Vichy State, many brands faced severe oppression and were forced to close their doors.
However, Louis Vuitton managed to flourish throughout the occupation and the war. In fact, it was the only brand granted permission to operate a store on the ground floor of Hotel du Parc, the location of France’s puppet government in the early 1940s.
The brand's survival came at the cost of openly collaborating with the Nazis, a move that was bold, unapologetic, and without shame. While competitors either refused the arrangement, went into hiding, or went out of business, Louis Vuitton continued to thrive. After the war, they were poised to dominate the market.
Would Louis Vuitton's current market dominance have been possible if Hitler's regime hadn't eliminated its competition and forced the closure of other brands?
3. An End To ‘Boyish’ Women’s Fashion
In the 1920s, Germany was a leading force in European fashion. Before the rise of the Nazis, Berlin and Munich were hubs for high fashion and innovative design. But with Hitler's ascent to power, he aimed to transform the image of the German woman.
Hitler preferred that women dress simply and modestly, arguing that the natural beauty of the German woman should be the focal point. He believed that makeup, nail polish, and extravagant dresses were unnecessary distractions.
The dictator was convinced that a fashion industry under Nazi control would contribute to Germany's victory in the war. To this end, the Nazis created the Deutsches Modeamt (the “Reich Fashion Bureau”) to regulate the attire of German women. According to the Bureau's guidelines, women were only allowed to wear clothing made from German materials by German manufacturers.
The fashion trends of the time, shaped by figures like the French Nazi-sympathizer Coco Chanel, embraced a more “boyish” aesthetic. This look was characterized by shorter hairstyles and garments that gave women a slimmer appearance. However, Hitler preferred women to have a fuller, more “fertile” physique, which he believed would contribute to a greater birthrate for the Reich. The ideal image was a full bust, shapely legs, and curvy figures.
Through the Reich Fashion Bureau, Hitler achieved his vision. The era of the boyish look was officially over with a resounding Auf Wiedersehen (“goodbye”).
2. Asian Pop Culture
If you visit an Indonesian café, catch a Japanese girl band, or attend a school parade in Taiwan, you might be taken aback by the unsettling display of overt Nazi imagery. Yes, those examples are all real.
In 2013, a major backlash led to the closure of a Nazi-themed bar in an Indonesian café in Java. In 2016, Sony was forced to apologize after one of their acts, a popular girl group named Keyakizaka46, performed a concert dressed as SS officers.
Somehow, Hsinchu Kuang-Fu High School in Hsinchu City, Taipei, managed to design and stage an entire anniversary parade celebrating Adolf Hitler, without anyone realizing it was highly inappropriate.
In Asia, education about World War II mostly concentrates on the events that directly affected the continent. The broader context, especially the horrors of the Holocaust, is seldom covered. As a result, many young people in Asia are growing up unaware of the atrocities committed by the Nazis in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.
While the full scale of these events may be lost on many young Asians, the clothing, symbols, and insignia remain surprisingly familiar. Swastikas and salutes have somehow found their way into modern culture.
It may be a bit naive to think there’s no trace of rebellion in this “Nazi chic” trend. However, it doesn’t appear that there’s much genuine malice in the superficial embrace of Nazism.
Is it understandable? Maybe. But does that make it justifiable?
1. Anti-Authority Subcultures
The swastika was the central symbol of the Nazi regime. Originally, it was an ancient and revered symbol of peace, a cross with arms extending at right angles, until Hitler and his followers took control of it.
The Nazis co-opted the swastika, and its reputation has been forever tarnished. Its simple, stark design has become so inherently offensive that it is now sometimes used by individuals who seek to provoke or shock others.
In the 1960s and '70s, biker gangs incorporated swastikas, iron crosses, and SS-style lightning bolts as part of their distinctive insignia. Since the end of World War II, performance artists have also drawn inspiration from Nazi symbolism. And let’s not forget the rise of swastikas and other Nazi imagery when punk rock emerged in the late 1970s.
Though bikers and punk rockers have dabbled in neo-Nazism, these symbols have largely been used for shock value, aiming to provoke and upset. It’s a kind of ‘art through provocation’ approach.
