By
Liz Jones
Last updated at 8:26 AM on 28th February 2011
Did Samantha Cameron really wear the reported 20 different outfits for her first season as ambassador for British fashion?
I counted only 12 over the five days at London Fashion Week. But that’s still good going, as her post of adviser-cum-ambassador for the British Fashion Council means it’s her ‘job’ to showcase as many homegrown labels as possible.
All in all, I think she did really well. Sam Cam has stuck firmly with homegrown designers and boutique, up-and-coming labels as well as good old British High Street.
Fashion icon: Samantha Cameron in the front row of the Holly Fulton show last week
And before anyone starts moaning about the profligacy of Samantha’s choices, let me point out two things. First, Samantha merely borrowed many of her outfits. This proves she is cost-conscious, which is just as well, given British Fashion Council chairman Harold Tillman’s speech to open proceedings, when he mentioned the devastating government cuts that are already affecting many in the garment trade.
It also proves that she’s probably a
sample size eight or ten, as this is the only size designers carry to be
used by stars on red carpets, or in magazine shoots. And everyone
remarked on how quickly she seems to have got her figure back after baby
Florence.
Anyway, as
Alexandra Shulman points out in Vogue: ‘For heaven’s sake, let’s allow
her [Samantha Cameron] to wear a £750 dress if she wants to, without
getting our knickers in a right old twist.’
Shulman
urges Samantha not to be brow-beaten and go the way of Kate Middleton,
who wore top-to-toe High Street brands — Reiss and Whistles — for her
engagement photos.
Rather,
our ‘First Lady’ should follow in the footsteps of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
(who wore only Dior for her visit to Britain) and fly the flag for our
own, homegrown industry that makes £20 billion a year for the economy.
Samantha’s
only unpatriotic slips during London Fashion Week were to wear a pair
of Spanish shoes, namely from Zara, for a party at No 10.
Bar a few mistakes, such as a leather
midi-skirt, I think Samantha walked the tightrope between dressing in a
sober fashion and not going all dowdy
But enough of the politics. Did
Samantha look pretty, fashionable, appropriate? Yes, she did. I loved
the way she mainly wore separates — meaning she could keep the CEOs of
lots of beleaguered fashion labels happy at the same time.
Samantha
threw her first London Fashion Week party at No 10 last Friday —
hosting Claudia Schiffer and Vivienne Westwood. She wore a jazzy skirt
by Scottish wizard Christopher Kane, a grey blouse by Emilia Wickstead.
Bar
a few mistakes, such as a leather midi-skirt, I think Samantha walked
the tightrope between dressing in a sober fashion and not going all
dowdy. And she worked hard, too. She spent 90 minutes walking around an
exhibition of small brands on the first show day.
And
what a shot in the arm she is proving to be for British fashion. I went
into the Mulberry store on London’s Bond Street over the weekend. It
was packed with Japanese tourists clutching iPads, desperate to buy
‘what Samantha wore on Friday’ — their gadgets bore her photograph.
If that’s not proof Sam’s an international fashion ambassador, I’m not sure what is.
At Burberry, she wore an Osman coat, £658, Whistles blouse, £95, and Zara shoes (old season), £19.99.
For this important show, Sam Cam really should have pulled out all the stops . . . the blouse under the jacket is awkward, while I’d have preferred a dress instead of the too-casual trousers (£79, from Jigsaw).
5/10
At Aquascutum in a McQ by Alexander McQueen tuxedo, £320, Hamilton-Paris blouse, £400, and leather skirt from Whistles, £225, in the new midi-length.
She looks a little dowdy.
I’d have liked a zing of colour, maybe by swapping the black LK Bennett shoes, £160, for a pink pair.
3/10
For the fashion week opening ceremony, she wore a Sykes (this label is no more; the designer, Joanna Sykes, having been snapped up by Aquascutum) jacket, £695, Mulberry dress, £403, and LK Bennett shoes, £160, an outfit that was a little too black.
I’d like to see her have a bit more fun with colour, but this will come with time and confidence.P.S. Great legs!
6/10
The shoulders and colour of this Roksanda Ilincic dress, £965, worn for the Elle Style Awards, are daring, as is the Erickson Beamon necklace, £750.
The nude peep-toe Jimmy Choo shoes, £395, are just genius, meaning she knows a true fashionista will tone down colour with nude — the only accessory colour to be seen in this summer.
9/10
At the No 10 reception co-hosted by Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of U.S. Vogue, she wore a black pleated Emilia Wickstead dress, £850, teamed with Alexander McQueen shoes, £450.
This was a little dour, but Sam cleverly livened it up with the Lara Bohinc necklace, £610, and made the Vogue editor, in her purple tights, look a little over-dressed.
7/10
In this outfit (worn at No 10), Samantha managed to look very fashionable, but also approachable.
The Emilia Wickstead grey top, £460, is brightened by a Mawi statement necklace, £400, while the Christopher Kane galaxy skirt in soft pink, £930, proves how well bright colours work against her dark hair. Only the old Zara shoes, £19.99, disappoint.
8/10
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Samantha Cameron looks “okay” .. no more!
So many British women seem unable to do “simple, understated” … and Liz Jones!!! please do not
refer to Samantha Cameron as a “First Lady”. It is noticeble how the British press are continually doing this, it must be deliberate, a everyone knows that the Queen is the First Lady in the UK.
I think it is unhealthy the way that Prime Ministers wives have walked into the limelight, and are behaving like “celebrities”.
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- Maggie, London, 28/2/2011 08:33
And then people woudl critisise her for interferring in their personal life. She can never win, someone will always want to rip her apart for something.
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Ambassador for British fashion? I’m sorry but in the last picture in that skirt she looks like a peasant girl ready for the national harvest celebrations. I just couldn’t stop laughing. The remaining outfits are no better either.
- Anne, Warsaw, Poland, 28/2/2011 07:22
In your opinion Anne, in your opinion and there lies the fundamental problem with Fashion. Its someone elses view of what you should look like and they make millions teling you this.
I dress to suit me and to hell with anyone else. They can get a real job.
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She looks AWFUL in anything, everything she wears. Terrible dress sense and far too much money to waste. And don’t get me started on the ‘accessories’…
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Good on you Sam, I think you look great. Far better than the clothes hanger on the other side of the pond who doesn’t mind spending the tax payers’ money on a fashion wardrobe!
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The 8/10 galaxy skirt looks just badly made, frumpy. It is ugly, and makes her look fat and a bit shapeless with that elasticated waist look.
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I don’t think a Prime Ministers wife should be so concerned with fashion’ nor should she be ‘adviser-cum-ambassador for the British Fashion Council’. There are many other people who are probably more qualified to do this role. Her role should be something which impacts on many more people in society – perhaps something to do with obesity/health/exercise for families and schools.
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