Barack Obama causes sensation on Twitter with custom presidential ‘44’ jacket

Sabrina Barr
Updated

A custom-made bomber jacket recently worn by Barack Obama caused quite a frenzy on Twitter, thanks to a subtle nod to his former role as US president in the design.

On Wednesday 20 February, Obama attended a National Collegiate Athletic Assocation basketball match being played between Duke and North Carolina colleges in the US.

Obama's outfit quickly became a topic of interest, predominantly due to the black bomber jacket that he wore with a black sweater, dark grey jeans and Allbirds trainers.

The jacket, which retails at £390 at fashion label Rag and Bone, had been personalised with an embroidered "44" on the left sleeve.

Numerous people on Twitter couldn't handle their excitement as they spotted the reference to Obama's status as the 44th US president.

"Obama's bomber jacket just joined the 2020 race," one person tweeted.

"President Obama looked dripped out at the Duke and UNC game in his black bomber jacket with 44 stitched on the sleeve," another added.

"We will never have another president with this much sauce."

The bomber jacket was made for Obama near the end of his second term as US president, Rag and Bone founder Marcus Wainwright told GQ.

“I wasn’t expecting him to wear it in public," Wainwright said.

"I thought maybe he's wearing it on the weekends or at home. I was hoping that he was wearing it.”

The British fashion designer added that it was "awesome" to have created a personalised jacket for the former president.

"How else can you put it? When they look good in it, it's even more gratifying," he said.

This isn't the first time a jacket worn by Obama has received widespread attention.

In 2014, Obama wore a tan-coloured suit to a press conference, a sartorial choice that critics of the politician described as "unpresidential".

While holding his final press conference in the White House, Obama admitted that he regretted not wearing the controversial tan-coloured suit again.

"Let me start off by saying that I was sorely tempted to wear a tan suit today for my last press conference, but Michelle, whose fashion sense is little better than mine, tells me that's not appropriate in January," he said.