Fidel Castro: A life in tracksuits

Fidel Castro’s death on Nov. 25 drew statements both cold and warm from world leaders, but no one can dispute the barriers he broke in political fashion. The architect of the Cuban Revolution cultivated an iconic personal image, and after the military fatigues and ever-present Cuban cigars of his youth, in 2006, Castro famously transitioned to a more relaxed —but equally recognizable—athleisure uniform: ”el chandalismo revolucionario,” or  “the revolutionary tracksuit.”

After ceding power to his brother Raul at the age of 80, the elderly Castro wore tracksuits to address Cuban communist party members, meet with the Pope and confer with Chinese president Xi Jinping. As biographer Ann Louise Bardach explained to the Telegraph, Castro likely opted for the soft suits to hide his colostomy bag, while Buzzfeed notes that his taste for Adidas was linked to special collections made by the company for Cuba’s Olympic Team.