Brigitte Macron’s style diplomacy: the French first lady always puts her most fashionable foot forward as she turns 71, from her love for Louis Vuitton and Balmain, to her upcoming Emily in Paris appearance

Apr 12 , 2024

French President Emmanuel Macron and his ever-stylish wife, Brigitte Macron, at the traditional Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysées in Paris, in July 2018. Photo: Getty Images

About to turn 71, Macron has been praised for her unerring fashion sense, with an emphasis on Louis Vuitton, and close ties with LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and LV creative director Nicolas Ghesquière

In 2018, it was revealed that the Macrons spent US$67,000 per year on hair and make-up, with some commentators criticising such luxurious lifestyle choices in the face of France’s cost-of-living crisis

Brigitte Macron had big shoes to fill when she first stepped into the Élysée Palace in 2017 – well, size seven ballet flats, to be exact. Few would want to follow in the footsteps of Carla Bruni, the supermodel wife of former president Nicolas Sarkozy.

But while Macron may not have initially been as accustomed to the cameras as her predecessor, she has won the hearts of the French fashion world with her sleek outfits, her eye for colour, and her industry-approved tendency to upstage her husband’s speeches with immaculate five-figure suits.

Ahead of her 71st birthday on April 13, we take a closer look at her personal style – and close connection with luxury brands, especially Louis Vuitton.

Brigitte Macron’s love of Louis Vuitton

French first lady Brigitte Macron wearing Louis Vuitton with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands in Lisse, the Netherlands, in April 2023. Photo: Getty Images, WireImage

Most first ladies of France have a “special relationship” with one of the major fashion houses. Bruni-Sarkozy often donned Dior and Hermès, while Bernadette Chirac had a strong bond with Chanel. However, Macron’s loyalty to Louis Vuitton has eclipsed them all: she has worn the brand almost religiously since being introduced to creative director Nicolas Ghesquière in 2015.

And it’s not just about the clothes. She and Ghesquière have a famously close relationship, as evidenced by the March 22 issue of Madame Figaro – the weekly magazine of France’s widely read Figaro newspaper – which featured the two of them on the cover, resplendent in matching denim to celebrate his decade-long tenure at Louis Vuitton.

The duo were photographed on the rooftop of the luxury brand’s Pont Neuf headquarters. In the accompanying article, Macron speaks about how delighted she was when anyone described her style as “so French”. With regards to Ghesquière, she says, “I started wearing his designs before knowing him,” recalling attending his 2015 show in a navy coat with a silver collar that won her acclaim in the fashion press around the world.

Since then, she has made a habit of sitting on the front row with LVMH boss Bernard Arnault (an important supporter of her husband) at Paris Fashion Week. Two years ago, on the night her husband won the re-election, she wore a custom-made cropped Louis Vuitton navy jacket with silver military detailing – a nod to the outfit she donned for his inauguration in 2017 (a skirt suit with another military-inspired jacket) as well as the LV-branded clothes she has chosen for nearly every year’s Bastille Day celebrations.

Designer habits run deep

Brigitte Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris, in February. Photo: Corbis via Getty Images