Margaret Thatcher is known for her pussy-bow blouses, Hillary Clinton is synonymous with the brightly coloured pantsuit, and Michael Foot will forever be linked to the 'donkey jacket.' For our new Prime Minister Theresa May, her signature style statement is the shoe.
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| Theresa May and Beverly Feldman, courtesy of the designer |
Kitten heel or flat, thigh high boot or loafer, May is the political queen of footwear. Whilst she has been known to fit in a shopping spree at Russell & Bromley, perhaps the Prime Minister's longest-standing shoe choice is the quirky, Spanish based designer
Beverly Feldman. Inhabiting the tagline 'too much is not enough,' Feldman has been creating shoes since she was 23, taking inspiration from the sunshine and her travels to include in her designs.
The Prime Minister has sported several of Beverly Feldman's designs, including shoes from her collaborations with Russell & Bromley.
"I think Theresa May is a fan of my shoes as they are comfortable, unique and most of all, they make a statement. She could be wearing the most conservative, formal outfit but adds humour and fun by wearing a pair of my shoes," Feldman tells me.
"Theresa May dresses really well and knows that you can be smart and powerful whilst having fun with fashion. "
Feldman's shoes seem to be a firm favourite of TM's, and we've seen many repeat appearances of three of her Caliente kitten heel designs. The first, a red rose print and leopard mix, have been in her wardrobe for many years, and were worn by May when she was named as the victorious candidate in the Conservative Party leadership race. They also appeared on the front page of The Sun.
The second, (and a personal favourite,) are the plaid, leopard and green/cherry red patent kitten heels. Whether the PM wears them with a tailored Amanda Wakeley navy suit or with a bright blue long coat, they look awesome. (And having seen them in real life, I can solemnly swear that they turned many heads in Portcullis House!)
The other pair that the PM often sports is a leopard and gold glitzy mix. Wearing them to meet the Queen seemed pretty appropriate to me!
May's love of Feldman's shoes shows her fun side, and her ability to carry off quirky fashion pieces in a traditionally serious environment. Whilst many women wouldn't be able to carry off (or maybe would be afraid) to carry off a multi-mix shoe, May does so with aplomb. Tasked with the awesome responsibility of leading the country, fashion brings May a slice of relief. And what better way to put a fun, fashionable foot forward?
In a timely and most welcome move, Feldman has updated the signature Theresa May shoe, with three new designs now available. The plaid and leopard designs are now paired with new patterns (hello blue swirls and electric pink,) and are joined by a new addition featuring a zebra print and mock red and blue croc. We're hoping that the PM wears these new designs next season!
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| Antonio Seva |
