On Monday, October 3, French President Emmanuel Macron donned a classic suit and gray turtleneck to record a video message to the French and meet with Guinea-Bissau President Omar Sisok Embal at the Elysee Palace. On the same day, the leader celebrated the Unity Day of the people of Germany and posted a photo on Instagram (the owner of Meta is considered an extremist organization) in which he is depicted with Olaf Scholz in a turtleneck sweater.
This isn’t the first time the French president has appeared in public wearing a turtleneck and not a traditional shirt. But as now France 24The turtleneck “is fast becoming the most fashionable trend of autumn in the French government.” According to French journalists, this garment has already become a “symbol of efforts” towards energy conservation.
This year, the trend towards a warm version of the official image was set by the French Minister of Economy, Bruno Le Maire. He was the first to replace his shirt and tie with a turtleneck last week.
Bruno Le Maire’s new style of dressing has caused his political opponents to be ridiculed online. However, he received support from his supporters for urging people to save on heating in this way. Meanwhile, on Monday, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Born said the country was “ready” for winter – she was wearing a turtleneck sweater with a cardigan over it.
It was no accident that Emmanuel Macron’s turtleneck sweater was noticed. The fact is that in general, he adheres to the classic dress code of a politician: a shirt with a perfectly cut collar, a starched button-down shirt, classic wide ties, in the cold season, a suitable suit with a jacket and a scarf added to this set (AT Show Fair This look is called the “young banker uniform”.)
But uniform waste is a thing of the past. So, in 2019, the President of France received the head of the EU, Charles Michel, after which the turtleneck became the occasion for a discussion on Twitter, where journalists and the indifferent tried to explain the style decision. Someone suggested that it was a tribute to the philosopher and sweater lover Michel Foucault, or to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who loved turtlenecks. Some joked that jazz band Emmanuel Macron came to the performance of Ménage à Trois, or that it was Steve Jobs’ reincarnation day. True, as it turned out, then the reason is more insipid – Macron caught a cold.
For French politicians, turtlenecks are a cause for controversy, but not a scandal (George Pompidou and Nicolas Sarkozy wore them in their 2012 campaign), but the British are dismissed by such a style decision. That’s why Britain’s new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, has warned Downing Street workers to be mindful of their appearance, and ties will now become mandatory elements of politicians’ dress code.
And when former Treasury Secretary and Health Secretary Matthew Hancock showed up for an interview in early 2022 wearing a turtleneck sweater inside his jeans, he was quickly criticized online, and British TV presenter Lorraine Kelly likened him to a standing man. in a shop with a box of chocolates.
On the other side of the ocean, US Senator Rand Paul giving a speech on civil liberties in 2017, but as documented Daily Newsthe audience was more interested in his inappropriate turtleneck.
Stylist and fashion historian Yana Demchenko is confident that the turtleneck will remain a part of everyday style without going official. “It is not in vain that Macron encrypts the message in his appearance – a kind of confirmation of the economic and energy crisis. So, this is definitely a one-time action, just like when the President of France appears in front of the lens without a tie and his shirt is open,” he explains.
According to Yana Demchenko, politicians will not replace starched shirts with turtlenecks because of the very informal style that will additionally look old-fashioned. “If it’s a thick turtleneck sweater and a jacket with a distinctive wool texture, it’s not so bad,” he states. “But fine-knit turtlenecks still seem outdated.”
Another disadvantage of turtlenecks will be their inability to hide body flaws or poor posture.
But bright broadcasters do not neglect turtlenecks when filming politicians. For example, Australian senator and Green Party leader Richard Di Natale posed for GQ Australia in it. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also wore a turtleneck sweater for the cover of Time magazine in 2019.