<P> "Derelicte" is the name given to the fashion line designed by Mugatu and is a parody of a real fashion line created by John Galliano in 2000 . It is described by Mugatu in the film as "a fashion, a way of life inspired by the very homeless, the vagrants, the crack whores that make this wonderful city so unique ." The fashion line in the film consists of clothing made from everyday objects that could be found on the streets of New York . Galliano used clothing worn by the destitute as an inspiration for a real - life fashion line in 2000 . </P> <P> Zoolander was never shown in Malaysia, as the film depicts the country as impoverished and dependent upon sweatshops . Malaysia's censorship board deemed it "definitely unsuitable". The film was also banned in neighboring Singapore due to bilateral sensitivities and the movie's excessive drug use . It was subsequently made available in Singapore in 2006, with an NC - 16 rating . In the U.S., the film was originally rated R but was later re-rated PG - 13 on appeal for sexual content, profanity, and drug references . </P> <P> In the Asian release, all references to the country of Malaysia were changed to Micronesia, the subregion which Hansel mistook for Malaysia at one point in the western version . </P> <P> In the United States, since the film was released on September 28, 2001 (about two weeks after the 9 / 11 attacks on the World Trade Center), Stiller made the executive decision to digitally remove any backgrounds that originally contained the Twin Towers in the background skyline . Stiller defended his decision to erase images of New York's World Trade Center Towers from the film, saying he did what he thought was appropriate at the time . </P>

Who played the prime minister of malaysia in zoolander