‘Shirt’ photos offer sometimes awkward moments of APEC unity

MANILA, Philippines - The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summits, which draw the US president and 20 other regional leaders, are sometimes memorable for just one moment: the leaders posing for a group photo in unexpected attire.

Former US President Bill Clinton started the tradition in 1993, when he handed out leather bomber jackets similar to those worn by American fighter pilots.

The US leader apparently wanted his fellow VIPs to feel relaxed at the meetings.

At far left, then President Fidel Ramos and Australian Prime Minister John Howard chat about their barong tagalog during the 1996 APEC in Subic Bay. At right, Clinton does the wave with Koo Chen-fu of Taiwan and Thai Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa while in their barongs in Subic. AP

Dubbed the “silly shirts” photo by some, the occasionally awkward ceremony became a signature event at most annual APEC gatherings, elevating native garb of the host countries to a brief moment of world fame.

The 21 APEC leaders have posed together in batik shirts (Malaysia in 1998), Chinese jackets (Shanghai 2001), flowing ponchos (Chile 2004) and in Vietnamese ao dai – elegant silken tunics in which several of the leaders were visibly ill at ease – in 2006.

The tradition had a three-year hiatus – in Yokohama, Japan, in 2010, Hawaii in 2011 and Vladivostok, Russia, in 2012 – when the leaders donned regular Western business attire.

Then Indonesia and China revived the native costume photo op at the last two APEC summits.

US President George Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet wear the traditional ‘ao dai’ during a 2006 group photo in Hanoi, Vietnam. Right photo shows APEC leaders dressed in Korean traditional ‘durumagi’ silk robes during the 2005 APEC in Busan, South Korea. AP

The Philippines’ barong tagalog, a partially see-through, embroidered shirt sewn from pineapple fiber and silk that was used at the 1996 summit, is getting a re-run when Manila hosts APEC this week.

Local designer Paul Cabral took months to craft the shirts for the leaders and their spouses, using different hand-embroidered themes.

It’s bamboo and leaves for Chinese President Xi Jinping, a Sarawak shield design for Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and cherry blossoms for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s wife, Akie.