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10/29/2009

 

Wolfgang Joop, the German fashion designer, isn't known for his subtlety. The designer, who admits that politicians tend to steer clear of him, has come up with an unusual hint for Chancellor Angela Merkel: Show more décolleté.

Speaking to the German Stern magazine, the 64-year-old said that Merkel should boldly don lower-cut tops. "And if someone teases her, she can always slap them on their fingers using a fan from her clutch handbag," he said.

His style tip may reawaken bad memories for the Chancellor whose scantly clad bosom made its way onto newspapers around the world when she wore a low-cut dress to an opera in Norway in 2008. Back then, even the government spokesman Thomas Steg felt it was necessary to comment on the furore: "When the world doesn't have anything better to do than to discuss evening dresses then there's nothing we can do," he said. "In the future, the chancellor will continue to pick evening dresses according to her personal choice and mood."

Stalwart of German Upmarket Fashion

While it remains to be seen whether Merkel will heed Joop's advice, the stalwart of German upmarket fashion admitted that his reputation for direct talking rendered him unpopular among German politicians. "Most avoid me. They know that I speak my mind," he told Stern.

This was illustrated recently when Joop met top Green Party politician Jürgen Trittin. "He didn't greet me ... but he knows all about make up tones," scoffed Joop.

In an unusual new departure, Joop has unveiled a series of support tights, jointly created with a health clothing specialist. In the interview with Stern he also revealed that his mother, 93, no longer spent money on outfits created by her son. "In the past she only wore Joop clothes," he said. "Now she says that she can no longer afford the garments."