APEC leaders' traditional dress photo tradition fades for scarves and suits
The APEC tradition of leaders wearing host-country traditional attire for the group photo, dating to 1993, is evolving. Recent meetings have replaced the full dress with scarves or business suits, citing discomfort and performative criticism.
The annual group photograph of leaders wearing the host economy's traditional attire has been a fixture of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit since the practice began in 1993. However, the tradition appears to be waning, with recent hosts opting for simpler accessories or standard business suits.
The custom originated at the first APEC leaders' meeting in Seattle in 1993, when then-US President Bill Clinton presented leather jackets to visiting leaders. The following year, Indonesian President Suharto dressed participants in batik shirts in Bogor, establishing a pattern of highlighting local heritage through clothing. Subsequent hosts followed suit: Mexico chose guayabera shirts in 2002, South Korea selected durumagi overcoats in 2005, and Vietnam used silk ao dai in 2006.
China has hosted twice, in Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014. For the Shanghai meeting, leaders wore modified Tang suits made of floral brocade, which reportedly boosted the garments' popularity. In Beijing, the leaders' attire featured Song brocade, a traditional silk-weaving craft classified as intangible cultural heritage. According to state media, the packaging included auspicious cloud patterns and handmade elements, while seawater and cliff motifs were intended to symbolise connected economies and mutual support.
In recent years, the tradition has attracted criticism. Observers have described the outfits as performative, and some leaders have appeared uncomfortable in unfamiliar clothing. As a result, several hosts have abandoned the full traditional dress. The leaders wore formal suits at meetings in Yokohama in 2010, Honolulu in 2011, Vladivostok in 2012 and San Francisco in 2023. At the 2024 summit in Peru and the 2025 meeting in South Korea, the hosts took a more streamlined approach, providing locally inspired scarves instead of full traditional garments.