Zendaya’s handshake with First Lady Brigitte Macron sparks manners debate

Actress Zendaya has ignited a discussion on manners by meeting with Brigitte Macron despite sitting down while attending the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2027 fashion show in Paris. The actress greeted the first lady of France with a smile, eye contact, and a handshake while still sitting. Some of those watching argued that she ought to have stood out of respect, while others disagreed.

Zendaya’s greeting has divided the internet

The encounter occurred on October 6 at the Cour Carrée of the Louvre, where Louis Vuitton unveiled its Spring/Summer 2027 collection by Nicolas Ghesquière. At the time, Brigitte Macron was going down the front row and greeting guests, and she came across Zendaya. The encounter was short-lived but made headlines immediately afterwards.

For many critics, it was a more polite thing to stand up while greeting France’s First Lady. The reason for staying in the same position created confusion, as there were questions about proper etiquette when greeting high-profile personalities.

Other people viewed the exchange from a different perspective. While Zendaya greeted President Brigitte Macron with a smile and handshake, her gesture seemed more welcoming than disrespectful. They also emphasised that the occasion was a fashion show and not a formal governmental meeting. So far, there is no report of Brigitte criticising the greeting.

Prior to the encounter between Brigitte and her, Zendaya had been sitting while Bernard Arnault met her as well. Bernard is the chairman and CEO of LVMH, a luxury goods company that also owns Louis Vuitton. This led some observers to suggest that Zendaya was not singling out Brigitte Macron and had responded similarly to different people greeting her.

A French fashion magazine also raised doubts about whether this particular action can be considered an act of disrespect on purpose. According to reports, Brigitte was greeting many guests who were sitting in the front row prior to the show.

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