Italian Prison Bans Mobsters’ Designer Duds
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One Italian jail's inmates have to kiss designer duds goodbye: Marlon Brando (right) in The Godfather.
Goodbye, Dolce & Gabbana pinstripes, hello, prison stripes?
The London Guardian newspaper reports that a notorious Italian jail is cutting off high fashion behind bars.
Ucciardone prison in Palermo is widely known as the “Grand Hotel,” a place where convicted mafiosi still manage to live the good life. For instance, one mob boss reportedly threw a Champagne and lobster birthday dinner.
A new prison governor, Rita Barbera, aims to pull the plug on the party–starting with the inmates’ wardrobes.
"The popular image of this jail is linked to the silk suits of godfathers and we need to cancel that image," Barbera told La Stampa, a major Italian newspaper. "We need to cancel class differences and the showing off of status, power and wealth.”
To that end, she banned many designer labels from the Sicilian lockup, including Prada, Gucci, Valentino, Versace, Louis Vuitton, and Giorgio Armani, plus Nike and Adidas sportswear. La Stampa dubbed her the “no logo boss.”
The prisoners’ wives aren’t taking this quietly. One complained to the paper, “My husband will be left naked…. He only has designer clothes, and that's not because he’s flashy but because they last much longer and are better quality. Why humiliate him?”
With that attitude, imagine what she’d think about an American-style orange jumpsuit.
We're just surprised these guys haven't put on a prison fashion show yet.
