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The chance of a runaway bride was slim but Rupert Murdoch, 93, still wore running shoes to marry Russian molecular biologist Elena Zhukova , 67, on Saturday. Was it a power move by the media mogul, drawing attention away from the bride’s elegant ivory dress at his fifth wedding? Was Murdoch inspired by his fourth wife, supermodel Jerry Hall, who grabbed headlines by wearing flat shoes to their 2016 nuptials ? Rupert Murdoch and Elena Zhukova during their wedding ceremony at his vineyard estate California on June 1. More than likely the nondescript lace-ups, rumoured to be by Hoka, were a nod to comfort as well as current trends.

“You certainly couldn’t have worn sneakers to a wedding in the fifties,” says Simon “Woody” Wood, editor-in-chief of footwear bible Sneaker Freaker . Murdoch’s first marriage to Patricia Booker was in 1957. “Even in the sixties it was off limits.



” Murdoch married second wife, journalist Anna Torv in 1967. “In recent years, sneakers have become popular for grooms and brides at weddings,” Wood says. “People wear Gold Air Jordan 4s, matching pairs or old favourites to express being sneakerheads on their big day.

It’s seen as an extension of their personality.” Stiff leather shoes worn by Murdoch at previous weddings seem more in line with the gruff public image of the former Fox and News Corp chairman, but Hokas have their advantages. “They’re famous for having a higher sole for running and every inch counts,” Woody says.

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