Fashion insiders are not surprised that Starmer has chosen to favour Lee for important events. The designer has been steadily building a reputation for crafting elegant, easy-to-wear clothes that come with proper, ‘Made in Britain’ pedigree – always an essential for those representing, even tangentially, the interests of the country. No wonder the Princess of Wales also likes her flattering, timeless designs.
Victoria Starmer is, of course, hardly the first political wife to make an appearance at LFW; both Samantha Cameron and Sarah Brown did during their husbands’ tenure. And, over the last few months, she has built up something of a reputation as a fashion plate, thanks to her mindful patronage of British designers (mainly Me+Em and Needle and Thread).
However, Starmer has recently come under fire for her wardrobe’s questionable funding. The Sunday Times revealed at the weekend that a wealthy donor, Lord Alli, had covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes and any alterations for the prime minister’s wife. Sir Keir Starmer failed to disclose this in his register of interests, which constituted a breach of parliamentary rules.
