Does Rishi Sunak now make keys? No, don’t worry, he’s still doing publicity. On April 19, the British Prime Minister gave the country one of his signature conservative speeches, calling for an end to “the culture of sick leave” and urging workers “not to overmedicalize the little stresses and ailments of everyday life.” To embody the virtues of effort in person, he went to a Timpson chain full-service store, walking behind the counter, putting on an apron to cut a key himself… Let’s face it: you had to think about it.
Let’s start with the hero of the day, on the right, then. On his wrist, Rishi Sunak, of Hindu faith, wears a curious red tie. Coquetry? Not quite. This accessory is in fact a kautuka, a bracelet traditionally worn by Hindus and considered a sacred symbol. Kautuka thus has the virtue of linking believers to each other and uniting them, despite individual differences. Note also that, traditionally, unmarried men and women wear the rope in question on the right wrist while married women wear it on the left.
To the left of Rishi Sunak, the smiling Jack Randall, shoemaker at Timpson and store manager, is also extensively accessorized for the occasion. To accompany his tattoos and his navy blue sweatshirt, he wears a wise gingham print shirt – gingham, as the English say. But why? you ask. There are several theses on the subject, but we will settle for the most flattering from our point of view: the word “gingham” refers to the town of Guingamp, where a square canvas was produced in the Middle Ages.
Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, also wears accessories. In this case, two barrette cufflinks, visibly equipped with a so-called “fishtail” closure system, hold the French cuffs of his shirt. The opportunity to remember that it was Louis XIV who popularized the use of cufflinks. After adjusting the king’s knot, his tie maker was responsible for ensuring his perfect accessorization and the placement of his cufflinks, very often adorned with precious stones.
Finally, how can we not mention the most imposing item of clothing in this image? In front of the camera, Mel Stride, Jack Randall and Rishi Sunak all wear the official Timpson apron, giving us the opportunity for another burst of patriotic pride. Why do the English use the word “apron” to refer to an apron? Quite simply because this word is derived from the French “placemat”, a piece of fabric ancestrally placed under table objects. Cock-a-doodle Doo !
