I had to chuckle when reading an article in Sunday’s New York Times National section (The 2004 Campaign- “Fans of Clark’s Argyle Can Bid Online”) which revealed that an argyle sweater worn by Gen. Wesley K. Clark in New Hampshire recently (“to help soften his stiff military image, and to stay warm”), is going to auctioned off on Ebay with proceeds going to charity.
According to the article, the General has been teased about the sweater, and the writer alluded to the fact that “some fashion mavens” have declared it “less than flattering and well, nerdy.”
The funny thing is, in the eyes of the fashion world, General Clark’s ‘fashion statement’ is actually considered to be the epitome of fashion. As any self- respecting “fashion maven” can attest, both nerds (who have long been referenced and deified on designers’ runways) AND argyle (a favorite and signature of the impeccably dressed Duke of Windsor) are enjoying their moment in the sun as of late.
Miuccia Prada, arguably the most influential fashion designer today- and a self professed ‘nerd’- showed many variations of the argyle sweater in her fall/winter 2003 men’s and women’s collections, and they were featured prominently in her high profile and iconic print ads.
