Boris Johnson’s girlfriend Carrie Symonds arrived at No. 10 Downing Street on Wednesday looking sweet and summery in a pink floral midi dress by British high street label Ghost.
The puff-sleeved midi cost £120, and within hours of Carrie appearing on our TV screens, the dress had sold out everywhere online.
Could Carrie set to become a political fashion influencer in the mould of Michelle Obama and Melania Trump?
The 31-year-old former PR chief, who has been dating Boris for 18 months, certainly looked polished, pairing the on-trend dress with nude pumps, a bouncing blow-dry and pink lipstick.
Choosing to wear Ghost, a British high street retailer which has recently had a major comeback, was also a discerning move of sartorial diplomacy.
Created in 1984 by designer Tanya Sarne, the slinky, bias cut dress-centric brand thrived in the 1990s. Worn by nineties models and It girls, Ghost was so popular by 2004 that it had 11 boutiques, eight perfumes and plans to branch out into swimwear and denim.
Two years later, however, Sarne left the brand, after which Ghost disappeared off the fashion week schedule and there followed a decade of declining sales.
In 2016 though, Ghost appointed a new Creative Director, Sameera Azeem, who has managed to breathe life into the brand by reducing the price point, adding bold florals and leopard to their roster of bias cut pastel coloured viscose dresses and focuses on Instagram influencers as a means of advertising.
No longer just a destination for ethereal bridesmaid dresses, Ghost is now a go-to high street destination for every day, work and party wear. According to The Telegraph, sales on Ghost’s website alone were up 95 per cent in 2017 compared to 2014, and it has already expanded from just one UK shop to four, as well as being stocked in 32 bridal shops across the country, and sold online at Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and John Lewis.
A dress that indirectly champions a British high street success story? We’ve no doubt the new PM was delighted.
