They’re not fashion leaders

THIS WEEK, President Bush will travel to Hanoi to meet with 20 world leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Participants at high-level political events like this one can usually expect nothing but jargon-laden meetings among men and women in dark suits.

But not so at APEC, the most fashion-forward of the regional inter-governmental trade groups (though that may not be much of a contest). Here the jargon-laden meetings are followed by a closing-day tradition in which all the leaders are expected to wear shirts in the style of the host country. In years past, China provided a satin jacket festooned with flowers, and Thailand offered shirts sewed with pure silver thread, valued at $2,200 each. Here are a few pictures of world leaders in awkward poses and bright clothes.