Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has sparked online speculation after delivering a televised address wearing a black hoodie featuring the crossed-out word “Sorry,” a design by an Israeli fashion brand based in Tel Aviv.
Vučić posted the recording of his address on Instagram on Monday evening, one day after his party acknowledged defeat in Serbia’s elections. During the speech, he condemned a group of citizens who entered the offices of pro-government outlet Informer, describing the incident as “monstrous violence.”
He also accused Ilija Srdanović, the leader of the Students’ List, of refusing to help during the incident and criticized the police, claiming they were trying to ingratiate themselves with the new authorities.
Vučić made no reference to the message on his hoodie. The word “Sorry,” meaning an expression of apology, was crossed out, and the president did not offer an apology during his address. Instead, he urged his supporters not to be afraid and called on them to prepare for “a long, difficult and painful struggle.”
The choice of clothing prompted questions about whether the design carried any symbolic meaning. However, Vučić did not explain why he wore it, and there is no confirmed evidence that it was intended as a political message.
An Israeli brand with a distinctive design
The hoodie has been identified as the Sorry Hoodie Classic, part of the Sorry Tennis Club collection by Sorry, a brand based in Tel Aviv.
According to the report by Klix.ba, the item is listed on the brand’s website for 300 Israeli shekels, equivalent to approximately 170 Bosnian convertible marks.
The garment also features a white “X” symbol on the sleeve, which is visible in Vučić’s recording. The brand’s website lists Sorry Studio, with an address on Brenner Street in Tel Aviv, as its contact company.
The brand was founded by Daniel Weinberg. Israeli magazine Time Out has reported that T-shirts featuring the crossed-out word “Sorry” became popular in Tel Aviv around a decade ago. The crossed-out lettering has since become the brand’s logo.
While the design has fueled speculation about the symbolism of Vučić’s clothing, the available information does not establish whether his choice was deliberate or carried any message beyond the brand’s established design.
