The phenomenon of the female politician seems to have everyone a little confused. Are we supposed to listen to her or analyse her outfit? From Hillary’s ‘pantsuit’ to Stella Creasy’s ‘bold’ Topshop skirt – they’re a troubling breed. So imagine the consternation in Paris, where two of them are currently vying to be mayor of the city.

Meet Anne Hidalgo: born in Spain, she’s the daughter of immigrants and a 20-year member of the Socialist Party, former consultant on women’s rights, mother of three and, if her recent interview in Vogue Paris, is anything to go by, pretty well versed on the industry at the heart of the city she hopes to take charge of.

She’s fed up of the ‘peopleisation’ of politics
‘There's nothing women can't do. Even so, I long for the day when gender doesn't matter in politics. What matters is who you are, what kind of citizen you are and what you campaign for.'

She’s aware that fashion isn’t for bimbos
'I love fashion, it is always the reflection of an era. I especially enjoy fashion when it celebrates the liberty and emancipation of women. For me, the precursor will always be Yves Saint-Laurent.'

And also, that it can be really useful
'In Paris, fashion is an industry that has directly created 60,000 jobs, not counting the tens of thousands of indirect jobs. It's a powerful and very dynamic sector, it's the very DNA of our city.'

She once cheeked Boris Johnson by describing London as ‘a suburb of Paris’. We wish…

We wish also…
'It's not easy for a woman to run for office without having her credibility and skills questioned. But I'm lucky to be in Paris. The Parisians are very open-minded. Besides, 53% of the population here is female, which helps.'

Her mother was a dress-maker, who made her clothes as a child
‘I’ve taken from that the idea that elegance is a form of respect for others.’

She’s come up with the answer that will appease your left-wing vs luxury guilt about buying yourself nice things
'I don't think in those terms. All forms of artistic and cultural creation contribute to Paris' position as a shining light internationally. Fashion designers in Paris are extremely talented, especially those who work in luxury.'

She’s chairman of Paris Musées and has been instrumental in raising the profile of fashion, with exhibitions on Azzedine Alaia, Dries van Noten and Madame Grès in recent years
'All these shows saw huge success, people find fashion fascinating, it's the stuff of dreams. Some pieces display a breathtaking level of creative and technical perfection… I'm not surprised people were so enthusiastic.'

Her rival Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet has been branded too posh and remote. In a bid to prove herself one of the people, she described the Paris underground as ‘a place of charm’.

Even we know Paris isn’t that glamorous.