On Thursday, the uniforms of the ushers for the upcoming May 20 presidential inauguration ceremony were revealed. The uniforms for this year are designed by Lu Ping-tai (呂秉泰) of Plant Soul Official, a local design company. For the first time in the history of Taiwan’s presidential inauguration ceremony, female ushers will be wearing pants.
Designer Lu Ping-tai (呂秉泰) explained that the pieces echo the theme of the ceremony: “Weaving Taiwan together; progressing democracy.” Lu mentioned that historically, pants were once a contentious clothing choice for women, carrying the connotation of challenging the patriarchy. This year’s palazzo pants design embodies equality, openness, diversity, and the spirit of moving forward fearlessly. The uniforms were also created with functionality in mind. Lu explained that there is a combination of form-fitting and loose-fitting cuts to allow freedom of movement for the attendants who must be on their feet for a large majority of the ceremony.
The fabric and color design also echo Taiwan. The moisture-wicking, UV-resistant fabrics used were designed in Taiwan using recycled plastic bottles. The selected colors of the uniforms complement the visual design of the ceremony which features a white background paired with bright yellows, blues, oranges, and greens. The ushers' outfits are black, white, and milk-tea colored, with the men’s ties matching the color of the women’s pants.