After
Brexit, a legacy of far-right associations, and possible Scottish independence, the union flag still pushes buttons. What does patriotism mean in
Britain today?
For something that can mean so many different things to different people, the union jack once again appearing in public spaces cannot be ignored. It is there in the crowd shots of the Euros, referred to in the “N” of the logo for the newly launched GB Radio, on the face masks of MPs (Boris Johnson’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it rectangle detail andMatt Hancock’s in-your-face affair) and in the background at political press briefings. A recent government decree that it should be flying from all government buildings in
England,
Scotland and Wales means that it will be more visible than i has been in years.
In
fashion terms, however, the flag’s biggest starring role recently was during Dua Lipa‘s victory performance at the Brits. The
Singer had an Amy Winehouse beehive hairdo and wore a Vivienne Westwood union jack suit jacket, decorated with chains and worn as a dress. Later, in her Future Nostalgia medley performance, she ripped it off to reveal a similarly patterned skirt. On the surface, it was a cleverly knowing performance: a postmodern sartorial pop-culture
bomb that connected the eras of the Who to Ginger Spice. A V for victory for sure, but, in 2021, after Brexit, the increasing momentum in Scotland for independence and a legacy of far-right associations, can it really be worn with only one context and meaning?