Were they waiting for Santa Claus? Well, for want of a better word, on December 22, the children hospitalized at Children's National Hospital in Washington were visited by the American presidential couple, Jill and Joe Biden, who came with their arms full of beautiful gifts and stories. In this case, the book the first lady is holding is A Visit from St. Nicholas. This illustrious tale, written by American pastor Clement Clarke Moore at the beginning of the 19th century, made Saint Nicholas famous in the United States, giving birth to the figure of Santa Claus.
For the occasion, Jill Biden opted for a dazzling entirely fuchsia outfit. This served as a reminder that while this color owes its recent popularity to Pierpaolo Piccioli, artistic director of the Italian house Valentino, its name and history go back to a much older figure. In fact, the fuchsia plant, discovered on the island of Santo Domingo in 1696, was named after a famous German physician and botanist from the 16th century, Leonhart Fuchs.
For his part, Joe Biden wore a blue suit that day, but not just any blue. Rather than the classic navy, the American leader opted for the azure hue that has been sweeping the world in recent years, adorning the world's political classes, weddings in France and abroad, bank branches, trade shows and 24-hour news channels. So, let's say it once and for all: This blue is hideous!
To accompany the suit of shame, Joe Biden chose a pair of blue socks, also decorated with green polka dots. Why polka dots, you may ask? Simply because these dots were first seen on the full dresses of Central European polka dancers, turning as they moved.
Finally, against this backdrop of good wishes, how can we fail to notice the astonishing presence, in the foreground, on one participant, of this denim jacket covered in patches? These jackets, originally very popular with German metalheads, punks and soccer fans, go by the name of Kutte. They are the object of a veritable fetishism, and their value is all the greater for the extent to which they can be customized. Once the outside has been covered with patches, it's customary to cover the inside in the same way.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.