The revolution of the neckless in France: the proposal of the Minister of Economy to save energy

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What if generalizing turtlenecks were the answer in offices to deal with rising energy prices?

In the midst of the campaign to reduce energy spending, Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Economy and Finance, number two in the French Government after the Prime Minister, and a novelist in his spare time, suggested that

is a good idea to save costs and energy.

The comment, made as a joke, had more follow-up than expected and the minister took advantage of the occasion to make a communication coup.

Hours after the interview, Le Maire posted a photo on his Twitter account in a

turtleneck sweater, with his suit jacket slung over the back of his chair.

The photo has more than 1,500 retweets and about 3,000 likes, although most of them are not very favorable.

The example of Steve Jobs

There were no shortage of memes making the comparison with Steve Jobs, the creator of Apple, who wore only black turtleneck sweaters created by the Japanese

who conceived about 100 exactly the same, just for him.

Jobs's intention was not far from what Le Maire seeks today: to give a

Jobs saw in the minimalism of the Japanese Miyake, who died last August, his star uniform and thus became an icon.

Steve Jobs and his famous black turtleneck.Getty

In addition to

on networks and another series of proclamations asking to review taxes on the rich or inviting him to change private car (or plane) journeys for bicycles, also the conservative press he laughed at Le Maire's invention.

The next day, the Minister of Finance, Gabriel Attal, was received by a group of journalists dressed in turtlenecks: "Aren't you wearing a turtleneck?" they questioned him sternly.

Cool Biz and Warm biz, a Japanese idea

In the wake of

this summer to save on air conditioning, the truth is that Le Maire is not the first member of a government to propose a change of wardrobe to save energy, as the consultant recalls Fashion Anitta Ruiz.

In 2005, the Japanese government launched a campaign to promote the so-called 'cool biz' or 'warm biz', adapting clothing in winter and summer so as not to use excessive heating.

"The suit, like any uniform, is a homogenizing garment that allows us to focus on what is important in the conversation. But in this French case it seems to me

against traditional male clothing rather than energy efficiency itself," says Ruiz. .

The reactions

Among the answers that reached the minister, he highlighted that of

an economist committed to the climate issue, who published a photo of himself with a turtleneck.

Vincent took the minister's fashion advice as an offense and thinks the joke was misplaced.

Of course, "it is better to encourage people to wear sweaters than to turn up the heat."

Pedro Sánchez, last summer with a suit and no tie. Gtres

"France is very conservative when it comes to dress codes,

and I'm not sure that Bruno Le Maire can go to the National Assembly without a shirt or tie," says Vincent.

Weeks ago, the French right proposed imposing the use of ties in the lower house after some deputies from leftist groups dispensed with it.

For Vincent, citizens can only perceive the message as welcome advice if there is an example from the Executive.

"It would be better - he thinks -

but it is not the case".

For her part, Ruiz, a defender of uniforms, believes that if the Western dictatorship of the suit and tie comes to an end with the climatic excuse, there should be a reflection in each country to recover their own clothing traditions, adapted to the temperature.

as a benchmark for Latin fashion.

For winter, she thinks, a thermal shirt under the shirt (and tie) is better than a sweater, even if it has a high neck.

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