Copy-Condi's German Couture
June 24, 2005
In Brussels to attend a joint EU-US conference to rally help for Iraq, Rice wore a white jacket with black trimmings. That's nothing unusual and far more subdued that some of the brightly colored suits she has showcased during international meetings.
But Condi wasn't the first to discover the 1,790-euro ($2,160) combination that includes a black skirt. A little over a month ago, Doris Schröder-Köpf, the wife of German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, wore the same outfit to attend the celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Moscow.
Rice didn't attend that event, so it's unclear whether the suit only grabbed her attention after she saw pictures of Schröder-Köpf or whether she had already bought her own version by then.
The fact that the suit is "wrinkle-free," according to its Munich designer, could well be the clincher for any frequent flyer. What remains unclear, however, is why the high-profile costume is part of a collection called "Paradise Island." One would wish the garden of Eden to include more colors than black and white.