Contrary to popular belief, the idea for “phoque la police” was actually not inspired by the recent news stories of police brutality. The bag carries (no pun intended) a broader statement about abuse of power, or rather how power can corrupt any person or institution, whether it’s the police, a sociopathic boss or a totalitarian regime. It’s about taking a stand against this dark side of humanity. Integrity is everything. Without it, we are vulnerable to succumbing to the worse version of ourselves.
The design itself was inspired by television character Officer Francis (Frank) Llewelyn "Ponch" Poncherello, portrayed by Erik Estrada in CHiPs, an American television series. The series aired from the late 70s through the early 80s, and followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol, one of which was officer “Poncherello”. We put aviator sunglasses and the iconic American police hat on the seal, and the rest is history.
Officer "Poncherello" aka "Ponch
Vintage aviator sunglasses, which my dad bought in the 80s!
Halloween police hat. (Click on "Read More" for pictures)