The idea that Mary Berry, the departing star of the Great British Bake Off, would become a style icon felt risible when the show first aired seven years ago. But then her shift from marquee knitwear to high fashion has been far more gradual than the show’s success.
When she first wore that silk floral bomber (Zara, £29.99, which subsequently sold out) in 2012, it seemed a little at odds with her brand. She was the sensible one. Good cop to Paul Hollywood’s bad cop. More into icing and effort than slamming someone’s crumb. But the jacket, paired with pearls, made her look leftfield, almost reckless – bomber jackets were, of course, originally worn by pilots.
But that was just the start, and over the subsequent seven series she stealthily worked her way through a catalogue of bright punchy versions from Oasis, Damart and Ted Baker.
She introduced other tics, of course: fuchsia lipstick, her off-blonde lampshade of hair, a power clash of pink, but the bomber jackets were a cut above.
How older women represent themselves on TV has long stirred debate (note the confusion over Whoopi Goldberg in Vetements this week) but Berry’s defiance in wearing “historically” youthful looks, such as the Marks & Spencer oversized stork print jacket and Preen’s pink leather bomber jacket, suggested a turning point. What’s more, Berry’s look preceded what has been the defining trend – heritage florals and souvenir jackets – at Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vetements in the past couple of seasons.
As to what Berry does next, right now trend forecasting doesn’t feel like an outlandish option.
