Www.lightsource.ca Main Bullet #1 Main Bullet #2 Main Bullet #3 EPICS and CLS September 18, 2009.
The (bullet proof) tailor of bogota
1
When Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, everyone was think- ing the same thing: Speak- ing in front of thousands of people, just how safe was the man? According to sources in the US media, more safe than we realised. One of its kind Obama was wearing a stylish bulletproof suit — and there is only company in the world that makes these. Miguel Caballero, the famed Bulletproof Tai- lor of Bogota, has for years been designing high-end armour fashionwear for the world’s paranoid elite. The company has been so se- cretive about its clients that many believe it is an urban legend. On an unassuming city street in a low-rise white building in Bogota, heavy security surrounds the fac- tory of Miguel Caballero. Nicknamed the Armani for moving targets, Caballero manufactures stylish ar- mour-plated leather coats, suits, vests, sweaters and even ties for a clientele that extends far beyond Colom- bia’s borders. Powerful clientele Caballero lists several satisfied customers, who include controversial politicians such as Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and Colom- bian president Alvaro Uribe, members of royalty such as King Abdullah of Jordan and Prince Felipe of Spain, and Hollywood stars such as Steven Segal. After all, a bulletproof garment made in Colombia, a place which has one of the high- est murder rates in the world, can save life almost anywhere in the world. I was disappointed to learn Miguel Caballero was in Miami, attending a con- ference, but I was led to the showroom where a full range of the company’s products are on display. Besides the usual mili- tary-chic armoured vests and bomber flak jackets, some of the mannequins wore stylish, unassuming black leather jackets, over- coats and college-style camouflage sweaters. One would never suspect they were capable of stop- ping a 9mm bullet — until you tried them on. The se- cret lies in a heavy, ar- mour-plated panel inserted into the clothing, which protects the vital areas of the upper body while blending into the garment’s loose-cut design. The company claims to be the only certified ar- mour-plate manufacturer in the world to have incor- porated industry standard protection with stylish de- signs — attractive to those who want to be protected but not advertising to oth- ers that there is any need to be protected. The aim of the bullet- proof garments is to save lives, not to prevent injury. While the panels will stop a bullet and, in some cases, even a direct knife attack, the victim will still feel the impact. Trying on the vari- ous items, I felt somewhat invincible, as if, for a brief moment, I would survive just about anything in the world — provided “any- thing” didn’t include a shot to the head. Employees are dedicated and committed to the com- pany, so much so that everyone who works for Miguel Caballero is re- quired to try on a vest — and be shot at by Caballero. And you thought your job interview was tough. In the line of fire It is common for the rich and the powerful to put their brave and boldest bodyguards in the line of fire to ensure that pur- chased garments meet standards. I would have liked to experience this but was told that only Ca- ballero was permitted to shoot prospective clients. And since he wasn’t in town, there went the one legitimate shot I had at get- ting shot. Still, it’s one thing to be told a fur coat can stop a bullet and quite another to see it. After some persuad- ing, the company’s ballis- tic director agreed to take me to a small room where vest plates are tested. I was reassured everything was scientifically meas- ured to the millimetre. A vest plate was fastened to a square of clay, which al- lowed ballistic experts to measure the impact and potential damage a bullet could cause. Test time After being handed a pair of orange ear protectors and standing just a couple of metres away from the target, I was given an Uzi sub-machinegun to take the test myself. I was initially told the im- pact would be no harder than a finger flick but ex- amining the clay after the first shot, I could see a one- inch dent in the clay — sav- ing lives, not preventing in- jury. While life may seem cheap in high-crime zones, high-security fashion is not. A typical Caballero item in its stylish Black range can come for any- where between Dh7,000 to Dh23,000. A thick lining to prevent a knife attack or any other customisation may cost extra. Aligned with style Caballero has a boutique store in Mexico City, along- side Louis Vuitton, Cartier and, yes, Armani. There’s even a club for Caballero customers. But to become a member, you need to have a Caballero product save your life. How many members it has remains a company secret. As the powerful find new ways to ensure safety, don’t be surprised to find pa- parazzi photos of stylish, albeit somewhat baggy, leather coats. Should any- one get a chance to steal a peek at the label inside the suit Barack Obama wears for public addresses, there should be no surprises if it turns out to be made in Colombia. — You can watch Robin Esrock on the Nat Geo Adventure show, Word Travels, or visit www.wordtravels.tv Robin Esrock finds out what Colombia’s high-end armour fashionwear is all about The aim of the bulletproof garments is to save lives, not to prevent injury Caballero’s ballistics director License to kill Robin Esrock does some target practice Miguel Caballero Barack Obama 2 ESROCKING THE WORLD www.gulfnews.com/explore | April 25, 2009, Saturday
-
Upload
miguel-caballero -
Category
Documents
-
view
213 -
download
0
description
The aim of the bulletproof garments is to save lives, not to prevent injury.
Transcript of The (bullet proof) tailor of bogota
When Barack Obama wasinaugurated as the 44thpresident of the UnitedStates, everyone was think-ing the same thing: Speak-ing in front of thousands ofpeople, just how safe wasthe man? According tosources in the US media,more safe than we realised.
One of its kindObama was wearing a
stylish bulletproof suit —and there is only companyin the world that makesthese. Miguel Caballero,the famed Bulletproof Tai-lor of Bogota, has for yearsbeen designing high-endarmour fashionwear for theworld’s paranoid elite. Thecompany has been so se-cretive about its clientsthat many believe it is anurban legend.On an unassuming city
street in a low-rise whitebuilding in Bogota, heavysecurity surrounds the fac-tory of Miguel Caballero.Nicknamed the Armani formoving targets, Caballeromanufactures stylish ar-mour-plated leather coats,suits, vests, sweaters andeven ties for a clientele thatextends far beyond Colom-bia’s borders.
Powerful clienteleCaballero lists several
satisfied customers, whoinclude controversialpoliticians such asVenezuelan presidentHugo Chavez and Colom-bian president AlvaroUribe, members of royaltysuch as King Abdullah ofJordan and Prince Felipe ofSpain, and Hollywood starssuch as Steven Segal. Afterall, a bulletproof garmentmade in Colombia, a placewhich has one of the high-est murder rates in theworld, can save life almost
anywhere in the world.I was disappointed to
learnMiguel Caballero wasin Miami, attending a con-ference, but I was led to theshowroom where a fullrange of the company’sproducts are on display.Besides the usual mili-
tary-chic armoured vestsand bomber flak jackets,some of the mannequinswore stylish, unassumingblack leather jackets, over-coats and college-stylecamouflage sweaters.One would never suspect
they were capable of stop-ping a 9mm bullet — untilyou tried them on. The se-cret lies in a heavy, ar-mour-plated panel insertedinto the clothing, whichprotects the vital areas ofthe upper body whileblending into the garment’sloose-cut design.The company claims to
be the only certified ar-mour-plate manufacturerin the world to have incor-porated industry standardprotection with stylish de-signs — attractive to thosewho want to be protectedbut not advertising to oth-ers that there is any need tobe protected.The aim of the bullet-
proof garments is to savelives, not to prevent injury.While the panels will stopa bullet and, in some cases,even a direct knife attack,the victim will still feel theimpact. Trying on the vari-ous items, I felt somewhatinvincible, as if, for a briefmoment, I would survivejust about anything in theworld — provided “any-thing” didn’t include a shotto the head.Employees are dedicated
and committed to the com-pany, so much so thateveryone who works forMiguel Caballero is re-
quired to try on a vest —and be shot at by Caballero.And you thought your jobinterview was tough.
In the line of fireIt is common for the rich
and the powerful to puttheir brave and boldestbodyguards in the line offire to ensure that pur-chased garments meetstandards. I would haveliked to experience this butwas told that only Ca-
ballero was permitted toshoot prospective clients.And since he wasn’t intown, there went the onelegitimate shot I had at get-ting shot.Still, it’s one thing to be
told a fur coat can stop abullet and quite another tosee it. After some persuad-ing, the company’s ballis-tic director agreed to takeme to a small room wherevest plates are tested. Iwas reassured everythingwas scientifically meas-ured to the millimetre. Avest plate was fastened toa square of clay, which al-lowed ballistic experts tomeasure the impact andpotential damage a bulletcould cause.
Test timeAfter being handed a pair
of orange ear protectorsand standing just a coupleof metres away from thetarget, I was given an Uzisub-machinegun to takethe test myself.I was initially told the im-
pact would be no harderthan a finger flick but ex-amining the clay after thefirst shot, I could see a one-inch dent in the clay— sav-ing lives, not preventing in-jury.While life may seem
cheap in high-crime zones,high-security fashion isnot. A typical Caballeroitem in its stylish Blackrange can come for any-where between Dh7,000 toDh23,000. A thick lining toprevent a knife attack orany other customisationmay cost extra.
Alignedwith styleCaballero has a boutique
store inMexico City, along-side Louis Vuitton, Cartierand, yes, Armani. There’seven a club for Caballerocustomers. But to becomea member, you need tohave a Caballero productsave your life. How manymembers it has remains acompany secret.As the powerful find new
ways to ensure safety, don’tbe surprised to find pa-parazzi photos of stylish,albeit somewhat baggy,leather coats. Should any-one get a chance to steal apeek at the label inside thesuit Barack Obama wearsfor public addresses, thereshould be no surprises if itturns out to be made inColombia.
—You canwatchRobinEsrock on theNatGeoAdventure show,Word
Travels, or visitwww.wordtravels.tv
Robin Esrock finds out what Colombia’shigh-end armour fashionwear is all about
The aimof thebulletproofgarments isto save lives,not toprevent injury
Caballero’sballistics director
License to killRobin Esrock doessome target practice
Miguel Caballero
Barack Obama
2 ESROCKING THEWORLDwww.gulfnews.com/explore | April 25, 2009, Saturday
