The next time a wealthy client glides through your office wearing designer clothing, take note: He or she just might be also wearing body armor.
A number of companies–some whose sales are growing over 30 percent annually–create designer fashions that double as discreet alternatives to bulky bullet-proof vests.
“People always are shocked by how light everything is. Back in the old days, [bullet-blocking clothes] used to be very heavy,” said Joe Curran, founder of BulletBlocker, a Lowell, Mass.-based designer and manufacturer of bullet-resistant clothing that also retrofits high-end fashions with materials such as DuPont’s Kevlar, a light-weight, flexible bullet-resistant material. In the industry, such clothing is known as “bullet-resistant” because no material is totally bullet-proof.
The company has retrofitted men’s Armani suits, women’s Saint Laurent leather jackets, Hermès purses and Gucci duffle bags. BulletBlocker has even added bullet-resistant material to a designer diaper bag (for when briefcases and bags are used as shields).
Customers usually send items to BulletBlocker, although the company will source products when asked. BulletBlocker disassembles the article, inserts Kevlar between the outer layer and the lining, and re-stitches the piece.
The Kevlar adds about four pounds to a typical sport coat and about 20 ounces to a purse, said Curran, a former Army ranger, deputy sheriff and firearms instructor. “The materials are much thinner and lighter than they used to be. They’ve come such a long way.”
Inconspicuousness is key to a high-fashion look. BulletBlocker’s retrofits aren’t obvious, said Curran. “When someone wears a police vest under an oversized sport coat, I can tell. I’ve been in the industry for a while,” he said.
The world’s first company to manufacture bullet-resistant clothing is reportedly Bogotá, Colombia-based Miguel Caballero. The company’s upscale division, Miguel Caballero Fashion, makes jackets, coats, vests and t-shirts for both men and women.
Fredericksburg, Va.-based Aspetto says it’s the first U.S. seller of luxury bullet-resistant clothing. Aspetto offers a high-end ballistic business suit that blocks bullets from most handguns, in addition to selling regular bullet-resistant clothing and accessories for both men and women.
For bespoke suits, customers typically make appointments to choose the fabric, style and level of protection, and to be measured for a custom fit, said CEO and President Abbas Haider. A typical men’s suit (jacket and pants) costs around $8,000. The company also runs background checks on potential customers to make sure they’re legit.
Haider cautions buyers to make sure they understand the levels of protection that various bullet-resistant materials offer. Some materials can cave in and cause serious injuries, even death. Haider said Kevlar is reliable, as well as Dyneema and Twaron brand materials.
“You want to be very careful when you’re buying [bullet-resistant clothing] because you’re putting your life behind it. Just because something stops a bullet, doesn’t mean you’re going to live,” said Haider.
This niche luxury industry caters to politicians, diplomats, executives, entertainers, celebrities and professional athletes. BulletBlocker has retrofitted items for former Nigerian president Goodluck Johnathan and several Saudi princes. Barack Obama reportedly wore Miguel Caballero-designed clothing to his inauguration in January 2009. “That brought some attention to the concept of high-end clothing,” said Curran.
Most bullet-resistant clothing and accessories are marketed to men. “The women’s market is very under-serviced,” said Curran, whose company sells more women’s products than many. “A lot of our customer base is mothers, aunts and grandmothers. They’re buying bullet-resistant backpacks for kids.”
