Take pride, Modesto, in loose connection with Ukrainian president’s 5.11 T-shirt
Modesto found another connection of sorts to the war in Ukraine when its uber-popular president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wore a 5.11 T-shirt while addressing media last week.
You might know that 5.11 Tactical got its start right here.
Dan Costa, among Modesto’s best-known entrepreneurs, began 5.11 with a single pair of pants in Modesto in 1999 and sold the company in 2007. Its corporate offices later moved to Irvine, and the Modesto warehouse merged with another in Lathrop.
So 5.11 isn’t here anymore. But we retain some bragging rights to its history, sort of like Oakdale does with Hershey’s; the Oakdale Chocolate Festival lives on even though the candy plant moved to Mexico 14 years ago.
Surely 5.11 could not be more pleased that perhaps the most sought-after celebrity on the planet, Zelenskyy, chose to don a military-green T-shirt with a patriotic flair for his recent interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes.” The blue-and-yellow Ukrainian shield logo is its main focal point, but you can’t miss the “5.11” label just above.
People noticed, including my predecessor, former Modesto Bee opinions editor Mike Dunbar — or someone told him; I didn’t ask. He shot me a note, and I inquired with 5.11, whose public relations manager quickly acknowledged the company’s accidental model, you might say. And she noted that the same shirt is available on 5.11’s website — limit two per size for each customer.
That’s good to know, if you’re in the mood to fly on your chest Ukraine’s colors combined with a nod to Modesto. Because stores known to carry 5.11 gear here — Crescent Supply and Work World — don’t have them and don’t expect any, employees of both stores said. The 5.11 stores in Turlock and Manteca don’t have them in stock, but should soon, both said.
That’s one way to keep Ukraine not exactly in your heart, but right on top of it, I guess.
By the way, Zelenskyy’s clothing choice in his Wednesday appeal to the U.S. Congress — again, a dull green T-shirt, but not 5.11 this time — touched off something of a culture battle when financial commentator Peter Schiff questioned in a tweet why the Ukrainian leader couldn’t wear a suit.
“You sir, have just posted the dumbest thing I’ll see on Twitter all year,” responded arts and culture writer John Law, among many taking Schiff to task.
Zelenskyy, a rising star
Zelenskyy, a former TV comic who portrayed Ukraine’s president before actually becoming it, hasn’t lacked for fans these days, drawing broad praise for poise and courage in defying Russian aggressors, and for refusing to flee the war-torn land he loves. He’s the anti-Putin.
Another by-the-way: Though 5.11’s specialty is duty gear for public safety jobs, the name isn’t some military or law enforcement code. Royal Robbins, another Modesto clothing legend, long ago developed pants that he named for Yosemite’s highest degree of rock climbing difficulty at the time — 5.11. Robbins sold his clothing company to Costa, who later sold it to somebody else but kept the 5.11 name when he built up that brand.
Lastly, Modesto’s more direct connection with Ukraine — sister city Khmelnytskyi — has been spared the horrific shelling attacks rained on other cities, although it’s been overrun by refugees fleeing those targets, I wrote a couple of weeks ago. But the Washington Post reported Tuesday that “the situation on the ground is deteriorating fast” in Khmelnytskyi (say mel-NIT-ski), with the “sounds of exploding Russian missiles” closing in.
Now more than ever, those in our sister city need our prayers.
This story was originally published March 17, 2022 at 4:00 AM.
