As Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's politics have evolved from combative outsider to pragmatic establishment leader so, too, has her fashion sensibility.
When Meloni became Italy's leader in October 2022, she arrived at the premier's office wearing a dark suit and clunky black boots, sartorial signifiers of her emergence from the fringes of the country’s right-wing politics.
Now, as someone who governs less radically than feared and is on the cusp of becoming Italy’s longest-serving postwar leader, Meloni often wears pastel-colored suits with wide-legged trousers that cover her high heels. The effect, say experts in fashion and politics, is a softer look that conveys authority without confrontation.
New Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni arrives for the handover ceremony at Chigi Palace Premier's office, Rome, Italy, Oct. 23, 2022. (AP Photo)
"She understands how important clothing is in nonverbal communication in politics,” said Antonio Mancinelli, who teaches at Rome’s Costume and Fashion Academy.
