All the Presidents’ women

TOI on how the first ladies are getting a younger, sexier, snazzier makeover.

Here’s the scenario: Powerful man meets beautiful woman, falls in love and they have a secret affair. Then obviously, the affair doesn’t remain a secret for long because of who the couple is. But like all nice men who have affairs, the man returns to his not-so-beautiful but loyal wife and all’s well.

Now, fast forward to Circa 2007. The meeting, the love and the affair happens. But this time, out goes the wife, a second wedding happens and all’s well again.

Could have been any other story in these times but it gains significance because the man we are talking about is a head of state and the woman is a celeb in her own right. Think Carla Bruni, now Mrs Nicholas Sarkozy and the first lady of France, and Alina Kabayeva who may soon be Mrs Vladimir Putin.

But just what happened to that carefully-cultivated family man image that political leaders used to wear like a second skin? Women who have appeared nude on magazine covers, are years younger to them and divorce hardly goes with that image, or does it?

Putin and Sarkozy think it does, for sure. While Carla, her nude shots and her famous affairs with the likes of Donald Trump and Sir Mick Jagger have already got enough press, it is now the time to focus on Alina. She is 25, a gymnast and also a deputy in the Duma. And yes, has a penchant to appear semi-nude on mag covers.

So, what explains this trend at the top? “It is about power,” says sociologist Raghav Jain, “Having a beautiful and successful woman is a symbol of power for the men at the top. It is a sexual symbol.”

And it sure works well for the women. As Cory Walia, make-up artist and fashion stylist, quips, “As public figures, these ladies need carriage, grace, dignity and loads of style. Carla Bruni and Alina Kabayeva are arm candies of powerful, divorced men, but it is absolutely okay for them to be what they are. Why did Putin make news two years ago for his fabulous body shape, what do you think he was readying for? Alina may be nobody in office but she has to play the role of somebody in public. And today’s women are just getting better – they have everything going for them.”

Adds Neeti Kalra, fashion stylist, “On Carla and Sarkozy’s trip to the UK, it was easy to see why everybody went bonkers about Carla and how she got the better part of the media publicity. Confidence, glam and attitude are the key words now. The first lady isn’t expected to be a wallflower anymore, she is happy being the liberated woman, as is expected from her.”

Now with Miss Pakistan Mahleej Sarkari accepting that she loves “that hunk” President Pervez Musharraf, chances are – Mush permitting – we will get a replay of this scene right in our neighbour’s backyard. What say Pervez, mush mush hota hai?

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com