Called burqas for boys, the jackets were borrowed from Italian fashion, where the concealing jackets were first inspired by the protective gear worn by drivers in the Mille Miglia, an Italian endurance race started in the 1920s.

Authorities, however, are concerned by the craze, The Times of London reported Sunday.

"The trouble in society is not just crime but the fear of crime, and this new jacket is enough to give anyone a shiver down their spine," said Brian Paddick, a former senior officer at the Metropolitan police and now a London mayoral candidate.

Steve Dodd, 18, of South Shields said he bought his jacket to protect his face from the freezing winds. He said he was taken aback by the reaction he gets in public.

"After I bought the jacket I went into the Caffe Nero opposite, fully zipped up, and people just laughed," he said.