“You want to be very careful when you’re buying [bullet-resistant clothing] because you’re putting your life behind it. Just because something stops a bullet, doesn’t mean you’re going to live,” said Haider.
This niche luxury industry caters to politicians, diplomats, executives, entertainers, celebrities and professional athletes. BulletBlocker has retrofitted items for former Nigerian president Goodluck Johnathan and several Saudi princes. Barack Obama reportedly wore Miguel Caballero-designed clothing to his inauguration in January 2009. “That brought some attention to the concept of high-end clothing,” said Curran.
Most bullet-resistant clothing and accessories are marketed to men. “The women’s market is very under-serviced,” said Curran, whose company sells more women’s products than many. “A lot of our customer base is mothers, aunts and grandmothers. They’re buying bullet-resistant backpacks for kids.”