Shakuntala Banerjee moderates the political magazine “Berlin direct” with great success. The choice of her outfit last Sunday was not very successful.
All that’s missing is the board: Skater Shakuntala Banerjee in the “Berlin Direct” halfpipe.
Clothing choices should always be contextual. This applies to everyday life, but also to television.
Assuming that clothes don’t play a role in news programs – after all, it’s not about fashion but about the political content – is a fatal fallacy. Especially in the case of the public media, which generally want to stand for serious reporting, the intended effect stands and falls with the fashionable appearance of the moderators and news anchors.
Christian Sievers moderates in a well-tailored suit with a tie, Marietta Slomka in a sheath dress or a buttoned blazer. The chic professionalism suits the show and supports it in its credibility. This usually works very well in the ZDF news studio in Mainz.
Banerjee’s look left a lot to be desired
What about your colleagues in Berlin? Shakuntala Banerjee has moderated “Berlin direct” since 2019, alternating with Theo Koll. According to an annual report by ZDF in December, this is the most successful political magazine on German television. In 2022, around 3.2 million people tuned in to the show every Sunday at 7:10 p.m. In contrast to the show’s ratings, Banerjee’s last look left a lot to be desired.
The 50-year-old stepped in front of the camera with an open blazer, airy trousers and white sneakers, which is definitely how it should look. Casual clothing in a serious context is not a mistake per se, but can even help to appear particularly self-confident if used skilfully. However, Banerjee made the mistake of abandoning chic altogether, instead of sticking to a casual punch line in her look.
Too much free time, too little news
The powerful blue of the jacket is quite a beautiful color that also goes well with the background of the studio. However, not only are the pants cut wide and the blouse loosely flowing, but the jacket is also open. At the latest when it comes to footwear, a high or at least chic example would have done the overall picture better. All in all, it just looks too much like free time and not enough serious news.
There are certain tricks in the ÖRR that should help to make a good stature in front of the camera. The colors should be strong, and the clothes should be rather tight in order to stand out from the background. At least the first criterion was met by Banerjee. For example, silk is discouraged on TV because it looks cheap on screen instead of quality.
Banerjee’s blouse is not silky, but with the shiny central stripe and the high collar, which is nothing half and nothing whole, it still doesn’t do anything for its wearer. The big scapegoat of the outfit are definitely the sneakers. Unfortunately, they seal the verdict of this week’s style review: unfortunately a flop, Ms. Banerjee.