Analysing the soignée style of Brigitte Trogneux - the woman who could be France's next First Lady
France has been without a First Lady ever since Valérie Trierweiler walked out on François Hollande in 2014. To be fair, the country had enjoyed a rather chic time of it until then.
There was Carla Bruni-Sarkozy whose years in the Élysée Palace were defined by her transformation from sultry chanteuse to impeccable political wife, wearing prim skirt suits, shift dresses and formal coats with dainty ballerina flats and kitten heels (nothing higher, for fear of overtowering her husband).
Then came Trierweiler whose style was more relaxed but possibly truer to the quintessential Parisenne look; slightly dishevelled-but-perfect-in-its-own-way blowdry, sleek tailoring and the odd pair of towering heels. She looked like she dressed for herself, and was bothered about looking good but not so much so that she'd waste too much time on the matter; let's call it polished nonchalance.
Yesterday, Emmanuel Macron- formerly of Hollande's Socialist party and now leading his own 'En Marche'movement- took the lead after the first round of voting in the Presidential election. He'll now face Marine Le Pen in the final round but looks set to become France's new President once votes are cast on May 7th; he's aleady being hailed as France's 'JFK'.
One element of Macron's CV which has added extra frisson to his campaign is his wife Brigitte Trogneux. At 64, she is 25 years his senior and epitomises a new spin of French style which is at once soignée and glamorous. Trogneux and Macron met when she was his literature teacher at a private school in Amiens. They developed a close relationship and stayed in touch after Macron left, eventually marrying and moving in together along with Trogneux's three children.
With her ultra slim frame and long legs (which French tabloids regularly salivate over), Trogneux looks more like a former model than a former teacher and dresses accordingly. Images of the couple together during their recent years in the limelight reveal her penchant for mini-length dresses, skinny jeans and luxe accessrories.
Her interpretation of French style doesn't conform to the super relaxed, low maintenance vibes of many Parisian It girls but one imagines that former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld is her high-priestess of style inspiration: it's all about opting for the most figure-flattering looks and looking sensually and agelessly sexy without straying into Trump-level glossy territory. The French media has praised Trogneux for her "cool attitude" and "wonderwoman" look.
Beauty-wise, Trogneux is a peroxide and tan devotee- the former definitely requires regular upkeep from her hairdresser but her bronzed skin suggests regular sun worshipping with a little subtle help from a St Tropez bottle here and there.
After meeting Delphine Arnault- Executive Vice President of Louis Vuitton - in 2014, Trogneux developed a relationship with the house which means they now loan her looks for many of her public appearences; a rarity for anyone other than A-list celebrities. She has also sat front row at Vuitton and Christian Dior shows, proof- if it were needed- of her natural love for fashion.
In some scenarios - such as a debate between the Presidential candidates at the beginning of April - Trogneux has shown a mastery for brave but also effortless styling which, should she eventually become First Lady, would make her a new kind of political dressing fashion plate for women the world over.
You might think that such an important event in the campaign would call for something pulled-together and elegant but instead Trogneux arrived in distressed skinny jeans and a luxe knit, anchoring the look with snakeskin kitten heels and a mannish blazer. 'Laidback, quietly confident styling = laidback quietly confident candidate' was the political message. A taste of things to come?
