[ PARADE POMP ] India-Pakistan Border

This evening I battled the monsoon rains to travel to the very ends of India (ok slight exaggeration) to witness what I was told to be a rather peculiar display of military spectacle, and spectacle I did find. Arriving at the India-Pakistan border 30km west of Amritsar I came upon what can only be described as a Monty Python-esque performance of goosestepping pomp, finely accessorised with these wonderful fan-wafer turbans! Every day at around 6pm these rather flamboyantly clad officals parade up and down the borer strip in front of hundreds of very patriotic Indians (and a gaggle of bemused foreigners) in a theatrical closing of the border ceremony with their Pakistani neighbours. I'm a bit of a sucker for uniforms, I find their varying assemblies and rank motifs or badges fascinating (I even wrote an entire dissertation on said topic at St Martins). Think it odd you may, but look at all the designers who have pulled inspiration from military uniforms: Temperley, Ralph Lauren, Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior, Derek Lam, Collette Dinnigan... the list goes on


  1. Are there women too in this military parade? It looks like there are women in the photos here. Either way I actually want their outfits! Last photo made me smile :)

  2. Yes there were lots of women, mainly marching in pairs to open and end the ceremony. They're uniforms are amazing, but their marching...ever so slightly silly!! Thanks for your comment!x

  3. The uniforms are incredible - so interesting seeing how they wear their uniforms. The marching does looks slightly silly, you're right ;)

  4. super photos sam! you got some good light there!


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