Styled to stop bullets

Press, 30 January 1984, Page 16

Styled to stop bullets

By

Mark McCain

in New York through NZPA

At last, there is a fashion line for people who need protection from rain, sleet — and flying bullets. “Clothing has always protected people from the natural elements. We’ve just taken it one step further — now it can guard against the unnatural elements as well,” said Mr Abraham Silbershatz, president of Emgo U.S.A., Ltd. “This extra security provides peace of mind for those who feel they need it.” Emgo’s bulletproof jackets come in five styles for everything from ski-ing to safaris. Underneath their fashionable exteriors is Kevlar 29, a synthetic fibre woven strong enough to stop slugs from .357 Magnums, colt .45 automatics, .38 Police Specials; and .22-calibre rifles. Three shields slip in and out of hidden compartments in the front and back linings of each jacket to add “special reassurance without creating a bulky look.” Naturally, it is not cheap to look sharp in the face of danger. Prices start at $385 (about $592 N.Z.) for “Level I” protection. “Level II” protection — to stop some particu-

larly lethal bullets — costs an extra $2OO. A top-of-the-line safari jacket, with a pair of colour coordinated slacks, is $645 (about $993 N.Z.). Emgo sells basic bulletproof vests — like those some policemen wear — but most of its $250,000 dollars in sales last year came from its “fashion collection of protective outerwear” available through outlets in New York, Singapore, France, Germany, and Guatemala. Eagle International, Emgo’s parent company, manufacturers the jackets in Israel. The company, one of several dealing in bulletproof clothing, got its start in 1977 and has become the largest supplier of bulletproof clothing for the Israeli Army. “Our fabric is subjected to the most rigorous tests available and ... it substantially reduced the number of casualties during the last Israeli War,” claims Mr Silbershatz. “Each garment must win approval by the Israeli defence forces before it gets to the United States — and their specifications are the toughest in the world.”

Emgo, an acronym for Eagle Military Gear Overseas, sells primarily by mail order, but some people visit the Manhattan showroom.

“Our customers come from all walks of life, often from big cities such as New York, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Houston,” said Miss Ruth Rom, assistant to the president. “Most are men, but we sell to some women too. Some people come in here and buy several pieces, but I don’t know if they are buying the extra ones to give as gifts or for their own use.” Until recently, anyone who needed a layer of bulletproof protection had to strap a vest under other garments. That gave the look and feel of a stuffed sausage, and What is more, said Miss Rom, “once you put one on in the morning, you were stuck with it all day. Our jackets are much more convenient.” But who, you might ask, needs to step out in style when bullets are flying? “We don’t question people,” said Miss Rom. ,A“We try to be as discreet as possible.”