Michelle Yeoh Wears Balenciaga to the Presidential Medal of Freedom Ceremony
The actress was awarded the nation's highest honor while wearing a look from Balenciaga's Spring/Summer 2024 collection.
On May 3, Michelle Yeoh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This medal is the highest honor a civilian can receive from the U.S. government and is often awarded to those who have made "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public, or private endeavors," per a statement released by the Biden administration.
Yeoh was specifically honored for her work as an actress, which the release notes as "groundbreaking." The statement also mentions and applauds Yeoh for becoming the first Asian woman to win the Best Actress Award at the Oscars. "Yeoh continues to shatter stereotypes and enrich American culture," read the statement.
During the ceremony and as Yeoh received the medal from President Biden, she wore a look from Balenciaga's Spring/Summer 2024 collection. The head-to-toe black ensemble featured a chic, boxy overcoat and a classic pair of black trousers. The Academy Award-winning actress wore the look with a stunning set of pearl drop earrings and a fashionable pair of ballet flats that featured a statement buckle. To complete the effortlessly stylish look, Yeoh wore her hair down in loose curls.
In addition, the event—held in the East Room of the White House—honored others such as Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Jim Clyburn, Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky, and activists Opal Lee and Judy Shephard. Other "firsts" honored at the ceremony were Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman to venture into space, and Jim Thorpe, the multihyphenate athlete who played professional football, baseball, and basketball. Thorpe was the first Native American athlete to receive an Olympic gold medal in 1912. Though Thorpe passed away in 1953, he was posthumously honored at yesterday's event.
Though Yeoh isn't American, the Presidential Medal of Freedom isn't limited to U.S. citizens. Other non-citizens who have received the medal include Mother Teresa and Pope John XXIII.
