From black boots to pastel suits, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni's wardrobe evolves with her politics

As Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Melonis politics have evolved from combative outsider to pragmatic establishment leader so too has her fashion sensibilityWhen Meloni became Italys leader in October 2022 she arrived at the premiers office wearing a dark suit and clunky black boots sartorial signifiers of her emergence from the fringes of the countrys rightwing politicsNow as someone who governs less radically than feared and is on the cusp of becoming Italys longestserving postwar leader Meloni often wears pastelcolored suits with widelegged trousers that cover her high heels The effect say experts in fashion and politics is a softer look that conveys authority without confrontationShe understands how important clothing is in nonverbal communication in politics said Antonio Mancinelli who teaches at Romes Costume and Fashion AcademyHeading into the final year of her mandate as premier Meloni faces a growing challenge from a rightwing politician No matter what shes wearing the rivalry will highlight how she has become more moderate on some issuesMeloni is hardly the only world leader to project political identity through wardrobe choicesUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dressed in militarystyle clothing since Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022 The UKs new premier Andy Burnham dons jeans and Tshirts as he promotes a policy of bringing the government closer to the working class And Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wears dresses and blouses embroidered by Indigenous artisans to honor their textile traditionsBut what the first woman to lead Italy wears carries perhaps even greater weightWhen it comes to a woman who represents a country that is famous for fashion and it is also one of the pillars of the economy the issue becomes much more serious said ItalianHaitian fashion designer Stella JeanFrom activist to prime ministerWhen Meloni came into office as the leader of a political party with postfascist roots she had been expected to be antagonistic toward Europe and extreme in her views on foreign policyBut she has largely defied those expectations While pursuing conservative antimigrant policies domestically Meloni adopted a pragmatic approach toward the European Union and became one of Ukraines strongest supporters in its war against Russia She has also shown a willingness to stand up to criticism from President Donald Trump prompting European allies to rally around herWhen she was a party leader of a small rightwing party she had a small electorate that she had to relate to said political analyst Riccardo Alcaro of Italys Institute for International Affairs Now she is the leader of a major EU country and has to provide an image of herself as a credible leader of a government who has ideas worth debatingThat change is reflected in her daily attireSoon after taking office Meloni began to wear tailored suits and more muted colors a look fashion critics described as elegant and one that conveyed seriousness and approachability as she appeared more frequently on the global stage She even lightened her hairLighter colors suggest a loyalty tenderness and gentleness With light colors youre more welcoming said Michela Bonafoni who teaches fashion at Unicollege in FlorenceMelonis office declined to comment about her wardrobe and who advises her on fashionReeling in Italys conservative centerMelonis current fashion choices and political rhetoric contrast starkly with those of her younger selfIn 1996 when Meloni was 19 a French television station followed the young activist decked out almost entirely in black as she organized members of a rightwing youth movement During the interview she defended Italian dictator Benito Mussolini comments that have shadowed her political careerSince then she has sought to distance herself from the extremism that haunts Italys pastIn 2008 Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi tapped Meloni to be his youth minister Meloni began appearing in more serious apparel in this new role mostly dark suits with white shirtsBy the time she won Italys 2022 election Meloni had already begun broadening her appeal During the campaign she made a speech in which she passionately described herself as a woman a mother a Christian words that later became the basis of a viral remix and helped her to gain support among conservative centristsAs premier she has rarely been seen in public wearing allblack suits and boots While black is widely worn to look stylish and by mourners in Italy it also has long been associated with fascismThese days Meloni almost always wears trousers avoids bold patterns and favors pastels and other neutral colors Even her high heels are typically hidden beneath widecut pantsShe cannot clash visually with the image she wants to project said Alcaro who noted that her Brothers of Italy party has grown from 4 of the vote in 2018 to close to 26 in 2022A necktie draws notice from Germanys chancellorClose observers say a key moment in Melonis visual transformation was in 2024 during the G7 summit in Puglia After a strong showing by her party in European Parliament elections she welcomed world leaders to Italy wearing a flowing pastel pink tailored suit and palazzo pantsBy then she had become one of the most politically secure leaders in Europe and was increasingly comfortable on the international stageHer growing confidence was on display again at this years G7 summit in EvianlesBains France where she appeared in a beige suit paired with a matching necktie drawing notice from German Chancellor Friedrich MerzOpen microphones captured Merz telling her Youre wearing a tie todayYeah Meloni replied so you can consider me a fighter