Homeless Man is Internet Fashion Icon

A band of web followers call him the coolest man in China. “Brother Sharp,” they’ve dubbed him, is homeless. His eyes peer into the distance, he wrinkles his brow and appears mentally disturbed when approached on the street.

He is handsome, strides with confidence, and wears a rag-tag, but well coordinated overcoat on top of a leather jacket. His clothes are a bit dirty, but in good condition. He has developed a following of thousands who admire his good looks and bohemian dress sense.

Social workers are outraged by the media frenzy. They want his identity to remain a secret. They say homeless people are vulnerable and it is incorrect to use them for entertainment purposes.

Is the obsession with homeless fashion insulting to those who are struggling to get by?