It’s time for Madame Macron to dress, and act, her age
What a telling contrast we saw between the wives of two world leaders in Paris this week. When Donald trump was elected President, we knew little about Melania, an exotic former swimwear model 24 years his junior. Such was the snobbery among liberal americans that fashion designers tried to stop her wearing their clothes.
Fast-forward eight months, and she turns up in the fashion capital of the world looking the very picture of chic — helped in no small measure by the French Barbie doll standing beside her. What was Brigitte Macron, 64, wearing? and what does it say about France’s new President?
We know they met when he was 15 and she was his teacher. We know their love has lasted despite their 24-year age gap and he is openly devoted to her and fiercely protective.
Yet she is mistrusted by his inner circle and considered a control freak — and she’s clearly not keen to take advice from Paris fashion experts.
When he was economy minister, she sat in on all his meetings. She told him to lower the pitch of his voice in order to sound more mature, chose his suits and helped to write his speeches.
Such are Brigitte’s illusions of grandeur and sense of entitlement, she has taken up an unprecedented official role within the Elysee Palace, which has its own offices and budget. It seems her brief covers education. Well, she a former teacher.
I have no problem with the age difference. But the secret of the older woman/younger man relationship, such as that of Joan Collins and her beloved Percy, or those of the eternally sexy Susan Sarandon and her much more junior boyfriends, is that you have to act — and dress — your age.
Yet Brigitte turned up for the showpiece photo with the trumps wearing an outfit that looked like it had been borrowed from one of her grandchildren’s dressing-up boxes.
While Melania wore a demure red Dior suit without a hint of cleavage, Brigitte’s oh-so-short dress showed off her knobbly knees and, with her big hair, made her look like a lollipop.
Being the partner of a President is no easy job. Yet the ones who succeed are — as in all partnerships — those who are true to themselves.
Brigitte is a good-looking woman. But she would do well to curb her ambition and remember she’s vintage Bollinger, not Babycham.