Michelle Obama

The Fashion Statement: Obama Weathers Storm, Book Praises Style

Michelle Obama has weathered the sartorial storm.

Late last week on Good Morning America, she faced her critics: "Look, women, wear what you love. That's all I can say. That's my motto. I wear what I like because...I gotta be in the dress, so..."

Next week, she will be lauded for connecting with everyday Americans by her attainable style in a book by Kate Betts, Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style (Clarkson Potter, February 8, 2011).

If you haven't been keeping track, here's what all the fuss was about: Weeks after the First Lady wore an Alexander McQueen gown (pictured above) to a state dinner honoring Chinese president Hu Jintao, her fashion choice had grown into a full-blown kerfuffle. Some blogs were even calling it McQueengate.

From a fashion point of view, most critics agreed it was a slam dunk (the color red is auspicious in Chinese culture). From a political viewpoint, several U.S. designers-Oscar de la Renta and Diane Von Furstenberg, in particular-voiced disapproval that she donned a British, instead of American, label on an evening that was supposed to promote American Chinese trade.

Tags: Alexander McQueen, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, CFDA, Diane Von Furstenburg, Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style, Kate betts, Michelle Obama, Oscar de la Renta

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The Fashion Statement: The Best Dressed Women of 2010

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

This was the year politician's wives, fashion editors and designers shoved Hollywood (except for Carey Mulligan perhaps) and the music industry aside to become the best dressed women of the year.

Fashion blogs everywhere have been writing about what fashion insiders Japanese Vogue editrix Anna Dello Russo was wearing in addition to their daily chronicles of Lady Gaga. What was French Vogue's Carine Roitfeld wearing front row at Marc Jacobs? What was Elle's style director Kate Lanphear doing in an online campaign for CFDA/Vogue fund finalist Eddie Borgo? Wrote New York Mag's The Cut in July: "Borgo calls Kate, whose regular appearances on street-style blogs have won her an online cult following, the 'epitome of the modern-day punk.' If anyone needed more face time on The City, it's this woman. Then again, her elusiveness is one of the things that makes her so cool." As for Roitfeld (pictured above), who just this week shocked everybody by announcing she's bidding French Vogue adieu, proved that women in their 50s (she's 56) don't have to age.

Gallery: Best Dressed

Tags: Alexa Chung, Anna Dello Russo, Carine Roitfeld, CarlaBruni-sarkozy, Carrie Mulligan, georgina chapman, Kate Lanphear, Kate Middleton, Lady Gaga, Michelle Obama

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2010 White House Gingerbread House Revealed

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

It's time for my favorite White House decoration, the gingerbread White House. Michelle Obama and Chef Bill Yosses unveiled the 2010 white chocolate gingerbread White House which, like last year's, features marzipan replicas of the Obama family dog, Bo, and the White House kitchen garden. The theme for the White House Christmas 2010 is "Simple Gifts." The house weighs 350 pounds and and 30 pounds of honey from the White House beehive was used to make the gingerbread. This year's house has cutouts to show the East Room and the State Dining Room. The First Lady also decorated cookies with children from military families.

The Simple Gifts theme is shown in some of the displays which focus on capturing a homespun charm. Other decorations include magnolia and oak leaf garlands, and paper white flower blossoms and a "military appreciation tree" decorated to honor the five branches of the military in the East Wing visitor's entrance; wreaths made of natural materials such as oranges, pears and dried flowers in the East Colonnade; white poinsettia trees in garden planters and garlands of white poinsettias in the Lower Cross Hall; four large Christmas trees with hand-crafted decorations in turquoise, purple, green and gold with a bird and floral theme in the East Room; and in the Blue Room, the official White House Christmas Tree, an 18 1/2-foot Douglas fir anchored to the ceiling to keep it from tipping over, with a theme honoring county and state fairs.

Curbed breaks down the history of Christmas decorations at the White House including the introduction of the National Christmas Tree by President Coolidge in 1923.

Gallery: 2010 White House Gingerbread House

Tags: first lady, gingerbread house, michelle obama, white house

The Fashion Statement: Fashion's First Lady

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

We know the First Lady has style. But did you know she was responsible for $2.7 billion in fashion sales at the height of the recession?

In a story published this week by the Harvard Business Review, Michelle Obama made more than 189 public appearances clothed in 29 brands between November, 2008, and December, 2009. After each of those appearances, fashionistas ran out to buy something from whatever label she wore, generating an average of $14 million in sales. This in turn affected the company's stock price which sometimes remained at an elevated level for weeks.

A celebrity's power is nothing new to the fashion world. But it turns out Michelle Obama is the holy grail of celebrity endorsements.

The HBR interviewed David Yermack, professor at NYU's Stern School, who found that following 18 of Mrs. Obama's public appearances, sales of whatever fashion brand or designer she chose to wear shot up 2.3 percent. A celebrity endorser-one like Sarah Jessica Parker for Halston, for instance-might only account for a 0.5 percent rise in sales. Not even other first ladies hold this kind of sway. The article pointed out that French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy sticks with one label-Dior-and most people can't afford the brand. Mrs. Obama, by contrast, mixes designer clothing with accessible brands like J. Crew.

Tags: carla bruni-sarkozy, David Yermack, Harvard Business Review, J. Crew, Michelle Obama

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The Fashion Statement: Woolly Mammoth Ivory is Huge

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, The Fashion Statement

Woolly mammoth ivory jewelry is everywhere.

Luxury retailer Stanley Korshak in Dallas can't keep it in stock. Michelle Obama has been photographed numerous times wearing it. For CFDA design darling Monique Péan and Ivory Jacks in Bothel, Washington, that create jewelry out of the material, business has been good.

The First Lady wore woolly mammoth jewelry by Monique Péan on a trip to Mexico a few months ago (pictured above and below)-specifically earrings, cuffs and strands. She wore the cuffs again recently to greet President Obama on his 49th birthday. The cuffs go for $4,480 to $7,420 at www.twistonline.com. The earrings can fetch anywhere between $915 and $2,970 at www.barneys.com.

Unlike elephant ivory which is primarily off-white, woolly mammoth ivory is unique in that it has many different colors-tan, brown and sometimes blue. Ivory Jacks jewelry designer Courtney Tripp explained to me this week at the Gift Show in New York that the colors are a result of thousands of years of mineralization. No two tusks are the same color. So no two mammoth jewelry pieces can be exactly the same.

Tags: Ivory, Michelle Obama, monique pean, wolly mammoth ivory jewelry, woolly mammoth

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Michelle Obama's Ball Gown Headed To The Smithsonian

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

The Smithsonian may have no interest in O.J. Simpson's suit but it will happily take Michelle Obama's inaugural ball gown. The elegant, one-shouldered, white chiffon gown designed by Jason Wu will be donated to the First Ladies Collection at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History on Tuesday. The gown, which is decorated with delicate beads and fabric flowers, was praised for setting a fashionable tone for the start of the First Lady's reign. Jason Wu is expected to join Mrs. Obama at the official presentation.

The exhibit of First Ladies clothing remains popular and the Smithsonian is opening a new gallery to house the exhibit. The new "A First Lady's Debut" gallery will include 11 gowns worn by first ladies from Mamie Eisenhower to Michelle Obama. The entire exhibit will show 24 first ladies' dresses, including 12 inaugural gowns.

Tags: inaugural ball, inaugural gown, InauguralBall, jason wu, michelle obama

Michelle Obama's Designer Maria Pinto To Close Chicago Store

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Having the favor of Michelle Obama has been a golden ticket for some designers like Jason Wu but even the power of the First Lady and the all-powerful Oprah hasn't been enough to keep Chicago-based designer Maria Pinto in business. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the designer, who kept Mrs. Obama in ladylike sheath dresses and elegant evening wear during much of the 2008 election campaign, has closed her Chicago boutique and is expected to seek bankruptcy protection this week.

Like many smaller designers, Pinto found herself vulnerable to the recession which had many of her clients buying less clothing or switching to less expensive options. Her line appeared in luxury department stores which have also been having hard times, scaling back both the range of goods they purchase and the amounts. Maria Pinto remains optimistic that she will be able to regroup and that her namesake brand will not disappear permanently but is just taking a break to retool.

[via Stylelist]

Gallery: Michelle Obama - First Lady of Fashion?

Tags: fashion, maria pinto, MariaPinto, michelle obama, MichelleObama

Narciso Rodriguez Designs Exclusive Line for eBay

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping

Fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez introduced the Narciso Rodriguez for eBay Collection on the online marketplace yesterday.

Called a "capsule" collection, the line will be sold exclusively through the Narciso Rodriguez for eBay Collection redefining how and where savvy shoppers can buy designer fashion. It is the designer's first direct-to-consumer online retail venture.

"I am extremely excited by the possibilities that this new online sales channel brings to my business long term," says Rodriguez. "For me it's always been about dressing many women of all ages, all types, all sizes, and this special collection on eBay is a unique opportunity to reach a broad global audience."

Gallery: Narciso Rodriguez for eBay Collection

Jersey Top with asymmetrical seam detail

Python Printed T-Shirt and Denim Slim Skirt

The eight-piece limited-edition collection is made from imported Italian fabrics, and bears Rodriguez's signature streamlined look and sophisticated color blocking created in a red, black and white color palette. The collection will be offered at accessible, fixed price points ranging from $65 - $350, in sizes 0 to 14, or extra small to large.

Tags: claire danes, ClaireDanes, ebay, jessica alba, jessica alba style, JessicaAlba, JessicaAlbaStyle, michelle obama, michelle obama fashion, michelle obama style, MichelleObama, MichelleObamaFashion, MichelleObamaStyle, narciso rodiguez, narciso rodriguez, Narciso Rodriguez for eBay, NarcisoRodiguez, NarcisoRodriguez, NarcisoRodriguezForEbay, rachel weisz, RachelWeisz, sarah jessica parker, SarahJessicaParker

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10 Fashion Statements of 2009

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Jewelry, The Fashion Statement

Michelle Obama is radiant in an ensemble of Isabel Toledo, Nina Ricci and Jimmy Choo.

This has been a wonderful year for fashion. From the emergence of fanciful fashion-rebel Lady Gaga to the arms of Michelle Obama, we've had inspiring influences right and left. At a time when most designers were playing it recession-friendly (aka safe), trends and personalities stood out more than ever. Here are Luxist's Top Ten Fashion Statements of 2009.

1. Michelle Obama's inauguration outfit (pictured, by Isabel Toledo)
2. Lady Gaga in general
3. Susan Boyle's many makeovers

Click through the gallery for pics of the whole list!

Gallery: 10 Fashion Statements of 2009

1. Michelle Obama's Inauguration Day Outfit

Tags: 2009, fashion, Lady Gaga, LadyGaga, Mad Men, MadMen, Michelle Obama, MichelleObama, Miley Cyrus, MileyCyrus, Susan Boyle, SusanBoyle, Whitney Houston, WhitneyHouston

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The Fashion Statement: The Top Ten Fashion Influences of 2009

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

For a year that was fraught with Depression era-like woes, 2009 wasn't a bad year for fashion. Here's an informal roundup of the year's top 10 inspirations.

Michelle Obama: From the inaugural gown by Jason Wu to the shorts scandal over the summer, the First Lady kept our interest. She spoke volumes to the fashion community by launching the careers of little-known American designers giving them a leg up when they needed it most.

M.C. Hammer: Harem pants was a huge trend of 2009 but the look hasn't come back without controversy. In November, the Wall Street Journal took a look at the fad and quoted Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour as saying, "To be honest, they are not my favorite."

Michael Jackson: Michael Jackson's death was arguably the biggest media story of the year. Suddenly, blogs, TV and magazines were saturated with images of military jackets, pedal pushers, white socks, fedoras and penny loafers. Harper's Bazaar's September issue paid tribute with Agyness Deyn dressed as the King of Pop.

Playboy Bunnies: Marc Jacobs can be blamed for the bunny ears, but the larger fashion news story was the over-the-knee boots (or OTKs) that first emerged on Madonna courtesy of Louis Vuitton (also designed by Jacobs). Numerous designers from Prada to Hussein Chalayan made the movement a force to be reckoned with in the footwear biz.

Mad Men: Skinny suits for men has been in Italy for years and American menswear designers like Thom Browne was an early proponent. But TV show Mad Men has arguably played a role in adapting the American male's eye to the '60s trim silhouette.

Gallery: The Fashion Statement, Trends 2009

Tags: Africa and the Middle East, AfricaAndTheMiddleEast, Forties, Harem pants, HaremPants, Lady Gaga, LadyGaga, Mad Men, MadMen, Michael Jackson, MichaelJackson, Michelle Obama, MichelleObama, OTK boots, OtkBoots, Platform shoes, PlatformShoes, The Economy, TheEconomy

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Turquoise is Pantone's Color For 2010

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Last year color-defining company Pantone chose sunny Mimosa as the shade for 2009. Their choice for the color of 2010 is PANTONE® 15-5519 Turquoise, a tranquil blue-green hue that recalls tropical waters and clear skies. The choice marks another year of distinctly cheery hues, far less dramatic than 2008's moody blue iris or 2007's fiery chili pepper red. Pantone's color experts say that the turquoise color can be used as an accent both in clothing and in home decor to provide a calming and colorful touch. They are also pushing it as a wedding color, pointing out how well it offsets white. One trendsetter has already embraced turquoise, Michelle Obama wore a bright turquoise dress on December 2 while unveiling the White House holiday decorations.

Tags: color, michelle obama, MichelleObama, pantone, patone color 2010, PatoneColor2010, trends, turquoise

Michelle Obama's Naeem Khan Gown

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Michelle Obama wowed the crowd at the first official Obama administration state dinner last night. To welcome Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and his wife, Gursharan Kaur the first lady wore a gown by Indian-American designer Naeem Khan. The strapless gown was decorated with sterling silver sequins in a floral pattern on a nude silk chiffon dress. The Mrs. O website reports that it took three weeks of work by 40 people to create the dress. The work was done in Naeem Khan's family workshop in India. Mrs. Obama accessorized the dress with drop earrings and gold and diamond bangle bracelets.

Source

Tags: Michelle Obama, Michelle Obama Fashion, michelle obama style, MichelleObama, MichelleObamaFashion, MichelleObamaStyle

The Fashion Statement: The Obama Effect

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

Michelle Obama seems to be single-handedly thrusting unknown designers into the fashion stratosphere. First, there was Jason Wu who, before the now infamous Inaugural Gown, was known only in fashion circles.

Sophie Théallet is the latest no-name to get noticed arguably from being a favorite of today's jackpot when it comes to celebrity endorsements, the First Lady. Earlier this week the French-born designer, who specializes in boho-luxe designs (read: very expensive and pretty hippie-like dresses), won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund which gives $200,000 to deserving upstart designers. While the honor is voted upon by members of the CFDA, it certainly didn't hurt that only months before, Michelle Obama wore Théallet's dresses to a number of events including Senator Edward Kennedy's funeral.

So who is Sophie Théallet? Turns out, she's one of those behind-the-scenes stars of the design world. According to her bio, she was tapped by Parisian department store Le Printemps to design her own collection right out of design school. After that, she paid her dues as an assistant designer to Jean-Paul Gaultier and Azzedine Alaïa where she was dubbed his right hand woman.

Three years ago, she moved to New York and started freelancing for various fashion brands. In 2005, she launched resort line Motu Tane with beauty guru Francois Nars.

Gallery: Sophie Theallet Fashion Statement

Source

Tags: Ikram, Michelle Obama, MichelleObama, Sophie Theallet, SophieTheallet, the fashion statement, TheFashionStatement

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Rothko, Diebenkorn and Degas join Obama in the White House

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Celebrity Design

The world's latest Nobel Peace Prize winner also has excellent taste in art. President Barack Obama has skipped the staid portraits that are usually pulled to adorn White House walls and instead opted for three dozen pieces with a bit more of an edge. Works have been pulled from the National Gallery of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Smithsonian American Art Museum to decorate the building the symbolizes executive authority in the United States.

The Obama family is definitely leaning modern, with Rothko, Degas and Diebenkorn among the artists represented. They've also included a word painting by Ed Ruscha. Not wanting to deprive the public of the opportunity to view works on display, the Obamas limited their choices to artwork in museum storage.

There's now a lot of money hanging from those White House walls. "Red Band" by Rothko, "Berkeley No. 52" by Diebenkorn and "White Line" by Sam Francis together are estimated to be worth between $20 million and $30 million. Throw a piece by Jasper Johns into the mix – specifically "Numerals, 0 through 9" – and you get a sense of the collection the Obamas have assembled.

Even with access to a collection of that caliber, though, I'd still never take Obama's job. And, there aren't enough Rothkos out there to change my mind.

Source

Tags: art, art collecting, art collection, art museum, art museums, ArtCollecting, ArtCollection, artist, artists, ArtMuseum, ArtMuseums, artwork, barack obama, BarackObama, degas, ed ruscha, EdRuscha, hirshhorn-sculpture-garden, jasper johns, JasperJohns, mark rothko, MarkRothko, michelle obama, MichelleObama, museum, museums, national gallery of art, NationalGalleryOfArt, nobel peace prize, NobelPeacePrize, obama, president, president barack obama, president obama, PresidentBarackObama, PresidentObama, rothko, smithsonian, smithsonian american art museum, SmithsonianAmericanArtMuseum, white house, WhiteHouse

The Fashion Statement: Why is How People Dress Such a Big Deal?

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

The chatter about Michelle Obama's shorts last week was deafening. Google the subject and 9 million entries pop up. Well, make that 9 million and one, including this post. It blew away President Obama's mom jeans episode last month documented by only 1 million entries.

People care deeply about the way people dress. But it's a mystery why. Why the hell do we care? I mean, it's kind of embarrassing that we paid so much attention to a lousy pair of shorts. And modest ones at that.

Something in our primitive dinosaur brains kicked in when we saw Michelle Obama step off Air Force One. We weren't sure if it was okay. Eventually, the media asked us to weigh in and, after thinking about it with our evolved brains, 80 percent of us said it was fine.

Catch Madonna in a pair of shorts and even our dinosaur brains would be nonplussed. Style and cut would be debated, sure, but impropriety would never come up.

Why? Because clothes are inextricably linked to identity. Rationally, how can we whine that Michelle Obama wears shorts when most of us wear shorts? But, deep down, we don't want her to be like us. We want to see an aspirational image of the First Lady descending from the most exclusive airplane in the world. We want Jackie O. Or at least a business-like version...which Michelle Obama is most of the time.

Maybe not in a skinny pair True Religions, but we'd kinda like to see President Obama in a slimmer pair of jeans, say from Lucky Brand Jeans. That dovetails with our image of him as a hip, modern guy. Mom jeans don't fit, both figuratively and literally.

Tags: Barack Obama, BarackObama, Duckie Brown, DuckieBrown, Gen Buy, GenBuy, Jayne ODonnell, JayneOdonnell, Kit Yarrow, KitYarrow, Madonna, Michelle Obama, MichelleObama, Trade-Off by Kevin Maney, Trade-offByKevinManey

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