FRESH LOOK: Andy Burnham on Monday picked a navy suit from London tailor Oliver Brown, retailing for 595 pounds, for his appointment as the U.K.‘s 59th prime minister by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.

Andy Burnham arrives at Buckingham Palace.

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Cut in a plain-weave merino wool woven by Alfred Brown in England, the Eaton style features a floating chest piece, giving it a structured profile, as well as details that include working cuffs, a contrast burgundy lining, and double vents for comfort and movement.

Some would argue the suit aligned with Burnham’s pragmatic, civil servant image. His predecessor Keir Starmer opted for the more affordable Charles Tyrwhitt for his PM appointment, while Rishi Sunak famously wore Prada shoes and Henry Herbert suits for the same occasion.

Andrew Groves, director of the Westminster Menswear Archive, held a different view.

“Burnham has made ‘we do things differently here’ central to his political brand, right down to the black T-shirts and casual jackets. Yet at his first encounter with the king, the difference vanished and he put on the same dark suit as every other man entering the establishment. You could read it as his first broken promise: northern exceptionalism lasted only until the palace door,” Groves added.

The Oliver Brown Eaton Classic Fit suit worn by Andy Burnham to become the U.K.’s 59th prime minister.

Courtesy of Oliver Brown

Upon later returning to 10 Downing Street with wife Marie-France van Heel, donning a lilac dress, Burnham gave his first public speech as prime minister, and said his appointment is “a moment for reflection and new resolution.”

He said he will take power out of Westminster and bring it into “every postcode in the land, so they can do more.”

He then pledged to build a new economy, putting “life’s essentials back under public control” and to re-industrialize Britain and “back British industry.” A 10-year plan for Britain will be revealed later this year, laying out the path of where he wants the country to be.

For Oliver Brown, a brand known for dressing racegoers at Ascot and outfitting Team GB for the Winter Olympics, the moment is a high-wattage endorsement. The brand operates five locations across the U.K., with three in London, one in Cambridge, and one in Chester.

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