She Speaks for France’s President. And ‘Explosions of Color.’

PARIS — There’s no hiding when you’re the spokeswoman for the Élysée Palace. Especially if you are the first black spokeswoman for the Élysée Palace. Especially if you are Sibeth Ndiaye, the Senegalese-born public face and voice of President Emmanuel Macron of France, and you have no qualms about making a statement. It doesn’t always have to be in words.

In a country where clothes are deeply embedded in the national identity, economy and history, where Brigitte Macron, its first lady, is applauded for wearing slim Louis Vuitton above-the-knee sheaths with matching stilettos, Ms. Ndiaye’s playful, relaxed style of dressing has become a lightning rod for discussions around race, ethnicity and body shape.

“I dress in little-known French brands that match the body of women rather than constraining them to dress in a certain way,” she said during a recent interview at one of her favorite Paris boutiques, Make My Lemonade, on the Canal Saint-Martin. “I want to stop women from feeling ashamed about their bodies. The way I dress is almost a political statement.”

She avoids the tailored, black-white-beige uniform of classic Parisiennes in favor of bright colors, even with her eyeglasses and her multihued strappy patent-leather shoes. She carries a silver metallic Nat & Nin handbag and wears her hair either braided or in a full Afro.

Source: The New York Times

Powered by NewsAPI.org

Keywords:

French Third Republic • President of France • Paris • Élysée Palace • Élysée Palace • Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye • President of France • Emmanuel Macron • France • Nation • Macron Stadium • First Lady • Louis Vuitton • Fashion • Lightning rod • Race (human categorization) • Ethnic group • French language • Lemonade • Canal Saint-Martin • Uniform • Brightness • Color • Glasses • Patent leather • Shoe • Silver • Metal • Handbag • Hair • Braid • Afro •