Lockheed Martin Fashion: Military Propaganda or just bad taste?
Photo Courtesy: Mashable composite; Lockheed Martin Apparel
The bingo card for 2023 is marred with crosses on both sides. The most recent of these, in what the internet has dubbed the ‘darkest timeline,’ is an apparent collaboration between Gorpcore Korean apparel company, Doojin, and Lockheed Martin, the world's biggest weapons manufacturer.
The collaboration, so uncanny that some likened the website to an AI-generated project, has been officially confirmed but Lockheed Martin has refused to comment further. The website currently boasts four separate collections titled ‘Missions,’ branded with the Lockheed Martin name, and plastered with trendy models sporting “pilot inspired,” streetwear. A quick glance at the websites ‘about’ page informs you that ‘Lockheed Martin is a security and Aerospace company.’ It is not technically untrue but it is definitely not the full picture.
The company has been condemned by prominent groups, including Amnesty, for enabling war crimes, committing bribery, lobbying fraud and connection to weapons that are “illegal under international law,” with £40 billion nuclear contracts. Now, in Korea, for around £61, you can promote them on your pre-faded jeans or backpack. The website describes itself as a “licensed brand,” selling products based on the existing “Lockheed Martin identity.” It appears that the world's largest weapons manufacturer has been selling their trademark to apparel retailers worldwide through a corporate trademark licensing company.
The collaboration is the alarming result of a benign existing trend. Street style and fashion photographer Young Chul explains that the ‘K-licensed Brand,’ trend started in 2020 with companies licensing names from pre-existing brands including National Geographic, Jeep, Kodak, and NASA. The brands are incorporated into clothing designs and have become very popular among young people in Seoul. Designers have been quick to adopt the names of pre-existing brands which is more efficient than investing money and time generating attention for new ones. The American company, a 'major player' in Korea's defence market with an admittedly attractive logo, was the perfect candidate.
While the official Lockheed Martin store has existed for years, selling everything from flashlights and keyrings to notebooks, the new website is of a different breed. Its designs are consistent with the visual identity of high-end fashion brands, demonstrating considerable effort in their marketing, pulling from the popular Y2K references that gained virality on social media platforms. The company has chosen to focus its attention on social media channels to promote products, paying influencers to post content wearing Lockheed Martin apparel. This move has proved profitable for the brand, which is now looking to expand its line internationally, to countries including the UK, but it has also generated international concern with many people asking why they would allow their brand to be used in this way.
The appearance of this eerie collaboration has driven conversation about the military-industrial complex and its use of propaganda. It would be naive to assume a company with a current market cap of £100.91 Billion disregards its public reputation, particularly in dealing with such a politically charged product. The choice to sell their licence to a brand like Doojin would have been carefully considered by a well-paid team. The designs themselves work to promote Lockheed Martin, incorporating the company's alleged values with one shirt reading, “Do what's right, respect others, and perform with excellence.”
In conversation with UCL students I found many were unaware of Lockheed Martin and responded positively to the designs. For the vast majority who encounter this page, Lockheed Martin is just a company specialising in ‘security’, a dangerous half truth, and company that ‘does what's right,’ an outright lie. This is not the first time a company has made a move like this, it is just one of the times we have noticed. It serves as a reminder to pay attention to the messages we consume and promote. Lockheed Martin is not a ‘security’ company. They are a weapons manufacturer and an arms dealer and it is important we do not let them define themselves differently.