by It was Dolley Madison, the wife of the fourth US President James Madison, who first understood the public interest in what Céad Mhuire wears. She showed an intuitive ability to dial her look up (or down) depending on the occasion and the mood of the nation in the 1810s.
Fast forward 200 years and our interest in what political spouses wear – and what it tells us about them – is perhaps stronger than ever.
It feels particularly true this week, as the fall of Victoria Starmer’s donor-funded wardrobe continues in the UK, at the same time we saw the first row of fashion week appearances from Lady Starmer, but also Dr. Jill Biden in New -York and Brigitte. Macron in Paris.
How each nation wants to dress its First Lady, or First Lady, seems to vary greatly. Here in the United Kingdom, the focus has often been on the promotion of the British street – though woe betide anyone who could be accused of looking frumpy (Cherie Blair) or who admits their cheap clothes are “customizable” tailored (Samantha Cameron). Across the Channel, fashion is an integral part of France’s national identity, so First Ladies are expected to support it by sitting in rows at the most important shows and wearing headwear designer or haute couture.
Here’s a look at the approaches taken around the world, when dressing for the Part.
UK – Victoria Starmer
The recent revelation that items in the star Lady Starmer’s wardrobe came through undisclosed political donations has raised her fashion appeal for some. But, whether they were paid for by Starmer herself, the donors, or they were loaned for the occasion by brands, Lady Starmer has certainly used her clothes to send messages in the last few months since arriving her husband as Prime Minister.
She has made a fresh start with the flag flying for the British high street – Her recent Me+Em hits include a £295 white crop top, and the £275 tomato red dress she wore to her Downing Street appearance, which saw a 300 per cent increase in traffic the website.
She also dominates small British names – at the Labor Conference in Liverpool she wore a £36 mocha T-shirt and wide leg navy trousers by local mall fashion brand By Elleven.
Meanwhile, her appearance at Edeline Lee’s London Fashion Week show this month – wearing a blue and white polka dot blouse and trousers borrowed from the designer – also shows her interest in promoting the industry. She followed it up with another £1,150 Labor red dress from the designer for the Party Conference this week – which the brand was quick to confirm that she was on loan just for the occasion.
France – Brigitte Macron
In France, the unofficial role of the First Lady seems to be to promote the best fashion houses in the world, by attending their shows and wearing their merchandise head to toe. It has been like this since the 1960s and the era of Claude Pompidou, who was a regular at Chanel and a good friend of Karl Lagerfeld.
Today, 71-year-old Brigitte Macron clearly takes her role very seriously, and is particularly famous for her patronage of Louis Vuitton, designed by Nicolas Ghesquière. Although her signature look – cropped hemlines, skinny jeans and power blazers – was very clear before her husband took office, her stylist Mathieu Barthelat Colin was credited with refining it.
During the recent fashion week in Paris, she not only sat front row at Louis Vuitton, but also Balmain and Dior, and even made a cameo in a recent episode of the fashion favorite. Emily in Paris carrying her favorite £3,800 Lady Dior bag. French Vogue is gloomy – on social media they captioned a picture of Macron carrying the “First Lady Dior” bag.
US – Jill Biden
While Melania Trump was known for her taste in designer skirt suits, and Michelle Obama was the up-and-coming champion of American designers, Dr. Jill Biden did not create such a strong sartorial identity during her husband’s tenure in an office.
One brand she has worn consistently, however, is the father of American fashion, Ralph Lauren, who she also attended in New York last month. Mingling with A-listers and posing for selfies, Dr Biden wore a boxy black suit by the designer, complete with a diamond brooch. She often turns to Ralph to create custom looks for her on special occasions, most notably the cornflower blue skirt suit she wore to the coronation of King Charles III, and the baby blue sequin dress she wore to the Democratic National Convention with recently.
Japan – Yuko Kishida
As Japan’s First Lady from 2021, Yuko Kishida has limited opportunities to showcase her sartorial taste internationally – although, when she was, her outfits were nothing short of chic.
Such was the case last year, when she wore a custom-made green saree for the G20 summit in India, which she accessorized with silver jewelery and a traditional bindi. Clearly well-versed in diplomatic attire, she showed similar finesse when she visited the United States in April, wearing a traditional Japanese kimono to plant a cherry blossom tree within the grounds of the White House, an act which was particularly symbolic because of the country. past history.
She also clearly has megawatt glamour, wearing a sculptural purple gown for the White House reception gala she attended with her husband, which perfectly complemented Jill Biden’s Oscar de la Renta sequin gown in a similar look. Her favorite everyday bag, in particular, is the £1,095 Bayswater from British brand Mulberry.
Denmark – Bo Tengberg
Denmark’s First Gentleman, film director Bo Tengberg, is known for cutting a chiseled figure. When it comes to dressing for official appointments, he lets his wife, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, take the lead, often echoing her style in his own appearance. It’s his subtle Scandi style tricks that make him stand out – a popped coat collar here, a button-up single-breasted suit jacket there – as well as a commitment to pocket squares and studs.
Iceland – Bjorn Skulason
Iceland’s Bjorn Skulason looks equally sharp in a suit. The fitness entrepreneur (he has his own marine collagen brand) often opts for a blue (marine) suit with a seventies edge – think slim-cut jackets and slim-fit trousers. He has modeled himself as an Instagram influencer, posting behind the scenes pictures of the first family making Kleinur (Icelandic doughnuts) at home in their Scandi knitwear, or wearing matching sunglasses in the Blue Lagoon.
Ukraine – Olena Zelenska
Ukraine’s Olena Zelenska’s relationship with fashion is a complicated one. In 2022, her appearance as a digital cover star for Vogue sparked a lot of debate on social media, and her stylist on staff, Natalia Kamenska, also seems to have raised eyebrows when her family would feel that they have more pressing issues. to worry about.
But no one has done more to showcase the talent of the Ukrainian fashion industry than Zelenska – a task she began long before Putin’s tanks crossed the border.
Using fashion to express protest, she wears not only local designers such as The Coat, Gunia and AMG, but also specific pieces that nod to Ukraine’s distinct history separate from Russia. Examples include the vyshyvanka, a type of traditional embroidered shirt symbolic of Ukraine, which she wore for National Vyshyvanka Day in 2022.
She also often wears the national colors of Ukraine, blue and yellow – a trick that any political spouse, on any budget, knows can provide a winning sartorial formula in the public eye.
