At the 2025 Prix Suisse—an evening where power, philanthropy and prestige converged beneath the chandeliers of Bern’s historic Kursaal—Amal Clooney delivered a masterclass in seasonal sophistication. Nearly 400 political and business heavyweights gathered to honor Dr. Willy Michel, the billionaire pioneer behind the first micro-insulin pumps and custodian of an enviable Franz Gertsch art collection and a superyacht boasting rotating beds. Yet, amid the constellation of notables, it was Clooney’s presence that quietly commanded the room.
In a conversation that unfolded with her characteristic poise, the human-rights barrister reflected on her journey from the sharp-edged corridors of a New York litigation firm—where her pro bono caseload revealed the deep fault lines in global justice—to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague, advocating for political prisoners and survivors of genocide. She also spotlighted the expanding footprint of the Clooney Foundation, whose latest collaboration with Oxford University has birthed the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice—an innovation hub dedicated to harnessing new technologies to broaden access to justice. Among its earliest breakthroughs: an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot, co-created with the Women Lawyers Association of Malawi, designed to guide women toward free legal support in cases including child marriage.
Of course, Clooney delivered all this in the sartorial language she speaks fluently: the power jumpsuit. This time, a sculptural Sergio Hudson creation in a rich, celebratory crimson. The silhouette has become emblematic of her public-speaking wardrobe—preceded by pinstripe Atelier Versace in Vienna, gilded Rami Al Ali in Lisbon, and pristine Stella McCartney in London—each look a deliberate curation of intellect meeting glamour.
Later this month, Christie’s will auction four contemporary works by female artists in support of the Clooney Foundation. With the festive season stirring the philanthropic spirit—particularly in those with Dr. Michel–level generosity—the timing feels almost poetic. Amal Clooney may have worn red for the evening, but her impact, as always, was gold.
