12 Times Michelle Obama Championed Independent American Designers
Since the days of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, First Lady fashion has been observed and scrutinized by the public (even more than the politics at the time). In Barack Obama's two-term presidency and beyond, Michelle Obama raised the bar for FLOTUS style by stepping out in some bright and bold pieces. More recently, she broke the Internet in a pair of glittery, thigh-high Balenciaga boots.
But Obama's style choices did more than just showcase her fashion sense. Unlike her successor Melania Trump—who has caused many stirs with her often tone-deaf looks, such as wearing a jacket that read "I don't really care. Do U?" to see detained migrant children—Obama used her style and influence to make a positive statement, giving a platform to up-and-coming American designers, many of whom are people of color, women, and from immigrant backgrounds. By picking emerging designers with activism stitched into the seams of their brand, Obama defined a generation of style not just in what she wore, but who she wore, creating some of fashion's biggest names and trailblazers in the years that followed.
On her birthday, L'OFFICIEL looks back on Obama's decade-long support of independent American fashion designers with 12 of her best style moments.
For her debut as First Lady, Obama wore a flowing one-shoulder gown by Jason Wu. This not only kicked off the career of the young New York-based designer, but was the first of many important moments for which Obama would wear his designs. She selected a red custom gown by Wu for her husband's second inauguration in 2013, and another custom lacy navy dress for President Obama's Presidential Farewell Address.
Chicago-born designer for the stars Maria Pinto specializes in making timeless and "nearly indestructible" pieces for "busy, chic women." Over the years, Obama wore many Pinto looks, including this classic teal dress at the 2008 Democratic Convention.
Thai-American fashion designer Thakoon Panichgul was a young, relatively unknown fashion designer when he gained the attention of Obama, who made headlines in the Radzimir kimono dress in 2008 for her husband's Presidential nomination acceptance speech. Thakoon's focus continues to be everyday wear: "We want clothes that are well-designed and beautiful and special, but we want them to work for our everyday," Thakoon said. "We want to be able to afford them, too."
As one of her first fashion choices as First Lady, Obama started off strong with a custom made Isabel Toledo dress and overcoat, representing a local, female designer with an immigrant background. Toledo was an American-Cuban fashion designer based in New York who strived for simple yet sophisticated creations.
American designer Tracey Reese specializes in ready-to-wear clothing, and quickly established a following of working women looking for fun dresses at an accessible price point. Obama raised Reese to household name when she turned heads in her 2012 DNC custom dress, and Tracey Reese became one of Obama's go-to designers.
Obama wore this classy pinstripe pantsuit, a creation by New York designer and eponymous label Jonathan Simkhai. Simkhai's designs are rooted in individuality with designs that "seek to embolden women with confidence and ease" and "push conventional design boundaries." It's no wonder Obama, with her many feminist initiatives, took to the philosophy of Simkhai's brand.
Korean-American fashion designer Doo-Ri Chung worked personally with Obama to custom make one of her asymmetrical purple gowns for the Obama’s 2011 state dinner for South Korea, made with Chung’s classic draped Jersey fabric. In this designer choice, Obama was able to merge cultures in her fashion, as well as give a platform to an independent designer.
San Francisco native Byron Lars started his own line in 1991 and received Women's Wear Daily's "Rookie of the Year" honor in the same year. He began to collect the attention of various retailers, from Nordstroms to Bloomingdale's, and even started designing custom made Barbie outfits. Lars became a favorite independent American fashion designer of Obama—from featuring in the First Family Portrait to this dress for the 2012 Christmas in Washington concert.
In a crowd of dark suits, Obama took a bright stance at the 2016 State of the Union address in a sleek Narciso Rodriguez dress. Though Jersey-born fashion designer Rodriguez was no stranger to celebrity clients (he designed Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's wedding dress), the First Lady's marigold moment reached a new kind of popularity—the dress sold out before President Obama's speech was even over.
In her husband's second term, Obama attended a state dinner with Singapore's prime minister and his wife wearing Brandon Maxwell. At the time, the American designer was best-known for styling Lady Gaga. The custom strapless ivory dress he created for Obama nods to the modern Americana style his namesake brand is known for today. "Strong and elegant, she is the embodiment of the woman that inspires me to create, and a role model for women all over the world," Maxwell said of the opportunity. Obama has worn his creations on several occasions since then.
Rachel Comey is an independent Brooklyn-based designer who often breaks away from fashion industry standards. Obama sat down with Tracee Ellis Ross at the United State of Women Summit in 2018 in Comey's white Sunder Dress, with a cinched belted waist and blazer top design.
Obama turned heads in this vibrant orange silk wrap top and tonal trousers ensemble on stage for her book tour in 2019, giving a platform for Fe Noel, an emerging fashion label out of New York. Once again, Obama blended her sense of style with activism, as the Fe Noel brand centers around empowering women of color, often collaborating with Black female artists.
