Iceland review - 2014, Qupperneq 31

ICELAND REVIEW 29
FaShion
there. in the past, a lady’s purse for gala events was designed
to store lipstick and a lace handkerchief, that’s all. nobody had
imagined that one day a woman might need a place to store a
speech during such occasions, and of course ball gowns have no
pockets. This presented me with a bit of a problem—until the
house of dior heard about me and designed this bag especially
for me.”
This small bag is a large testament to the way vigdís revo-
lutionized the world’s view of what a woman’s role in society
should be. Moreover, this bag is a perfect manifestation of what
always came first with her: the spoken word.
“Becoming president was a huge step in the fight for wom-
en’s rights, making headlines across the globe,” she recalls.
“entrusted with this job, i was going to give it my all. i knew my
wardrobe had to be up-to-date; i had to be modern and elegant.
i wanted to make sure i wouldn’t be criticized for my attire,
especially by other women; i didn’t want anything to distract
from what i had to say. i deliberately wore colorful clothes so
that i would stand out from the men, and i wore high heels so
that i could look them directly in the eye,” she explains. “i was
fully aware of the fact that i wasn’t at a party enjoying myself in
these nice clothes; i was on a mission to represent my country
in the best way possible. i could not afford to fail. i find that
men are much less forgiving towards women in powerful roles.
And now, women are beginning to lose their status again; this
is a constant battle and we must be careful not to let our guard
down.”
As director of the reykjavík city Theater, vigdís had dressed
well, but in a more bohemian kind of way—even bordering
on hippie-ish, she admits. After becoming president she began
dressing more formally and suits became her signature look.
“That was what leading women in the 80s wore, for example
Margaret Thatcher. But at formal events, women were required
to wear a long gown, and so i was faced with a much more
complex task than the men who simply put on a tuxedo or tails,”
she says, adding that coming by a gala gown in reykjavík in the
1980s was easier said than done.
“Queen in Mink, President in sHeeP”
one of the exhibition’s most recognizable pieces is the hand-
knitted wool dress worn by vigdís on June 30, 1980, the day
after she was elected president for the first time. She only wore
it that one day. “during the campaign, renowned craftswoman
and feminist, Steingerður Hólmgeirsdóttir—whom i had never
met—sent it to me from her hometown Akureyri, asking me
to pledge that i would not wear it unless victory was secured.
When well-wishers started gathering outside my house, it
immediately came to mind. As i put it on, i thought about what
to say to the crowd. When you’re expected to say something
1
inauGuration
Wearing this dress
as opposed to the
skautbúningur, vigdís
emphasized that she
was voted into office
as a citizen of iceland
and the men’s equal.
Photo by Gunnar
Elíson, 1980.
2
PrESidEnt ElEct
Greeting well-wishers
from her balcony,
vigdís wears the hand-
knitted woolen dress
she had pledged to
wear only if she were
elected president.
Photo by Gunnar
Elíson, 1980.
3
national coStuME
vigdís often wore the
skautbúningur cos-
tume during formal
occasions. She inher-
ited it from her mother,
who had made it her-
self. Photo by Sigurður
Þorgeirsson.
4
royal viSit
Walking across a
geothermal field dur-
ing a visit from H.M.
Queen Elizabeth ii
of Great britain and
H.r.H, the duke of
Edinburgh. Photo by
Páll Stefánsson, 1990.
5
official viSit
dressed in an
icelandic sheepskin fur
coat, vigdís is received
by H.M. Queen
Margaret of denmark.
Photo by Gunnar
Elíson, 1981.
6
SuMMit
vigdís and u.S.
President ronald
reagan take a stroll
outside bessastaðir
during the historic
reagan/Gorbachev
summit. Photo by
raX, 1986.
SCeneS fRoM A pReSIDenCy