Ex-EU Commissioner Vestager becomes face of her own shoe collection

Former European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has launched her own line of shoes and is modelling one of the designs herself, marking a new chapter in her post-Brussels career.

The 57-year-old Danish politician, known internationally as Europe’s chief competition enforcer, inspired the TV series “Borgen” and was famously labelled the “tax lady” by US President Donald Trump after fining Apple $14 billion over illegal tax breaks.

Vestager’s new footwear offering, the “Margrethe Boot,” is produced by Danish shoe company Roccamore. Billboards featuring Vestager wearing the boots were seen by POLITICO in Copenhagen on August 19.

According to the company, the design is “created as a tribute to her — and to all women who step forward when the responsibility is greatest. It is for those who dare to stand in the eye of the storm, set a new agenda and do it all — with a straight back and style.”

The boot is part of Roccamore’s “Power Collection,” which also includes designs inspired by Camilla Ley Valentin, co-founder of internet queuing system Queue-it, and Marianne Dahl of Boston Consulting Group. The Margrethe Boot is available in oak, burgundy, and black, retailing for 3,100 Danish krone (€415) per pair.

Vestager served two terms as the EU’s competition commissioner but was not nominated for a third term last year. She previously spent a decade as antitrust chief in Brussels and held roles as Denmark’s deputy prime minister and leader of the Social Liberal Party.

In a biography published last December, Vestager stated she had “no plans” to run for national office in Denmark. She also made an unsuccessful bid to lead the European Investment Bank in late 2023, resuming her commissioner duties after a three-month campaign.

She was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2017 and currently chairs the board of the Technical University of Denmark.

Teresa Ribera now holds the position of EU competition chief, succeeding Vestager.

By Tamilla Hasanova