Were french cuffs really that much of a signifier of class then?  (And are they now?).  Weren't their use so widespread that it wouldn't raise an eyebrow should a commie sport them?  (I take it that commies in the Kremlin lived it up despite their classless society...).

It is not a secret, that especially statesmen, independent from their political direction, have been used as testiomnial for fine clothes or bespoke shoes.

Not "commies" in the common sense but deep red socialists:

Bruno Kreisky, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_Kreisky, had his shoes made at Scheer, Vienna, www.scheer.at

or Gerhard Schröder was always named to wear suits from Brioni.