Michelle Obama

[mordant]

I love how she just owns color. The Top Chef taping outfit is soooooooo chic. I just love the blue skirt. It looks amazing on her.

 

[ForChicSake]

she looks magnificent those colours

 

[dennab216]

NYT: Wooing the First Dresser

Wooing the First Dresser
By BEE-SHYUAN CHANG
THE designers Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs, known professionally as Cushnie et Ochs, have been critical darlings ever since starting their business in 2009, just a few years out of college. They have been prominently featured in WWD and Vogue, have won prestigious honors, like the Ecco Domani Foundation Award, and were one of 10 finalists for last year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award.

But even with that acclaim, they were still having trouble getting some prominent retailers to buy their clothes or even grant them a showing.

Then Michelle Obama was photographed in one of their designs: a forest-green crepe dress for the “Christmas in Washington” television special in December.

Suddenly, their phone calls were being returned. “Stores that thought we were too risqué before have booked market appointments after seeing Michelle Obama in our dress,” Ms. Cushnie, 28, said in a recent phone interview. After a quick tally, she later e-mailed, “We booked approximately 25 additional appointments for the upcoming fall collection, including Harvey Nichols Hong Kong.”

For many promising young designers showing at New York Fashion Week, their most important potential client won’t be in the front rows at Lincoln Center, but perhaps at home in the White House. There is arguably no more powerful influence in American fashion today than the country’s stylish, risk-taking first lady.

It’s by now a well-known tale — how the surprise choice of Jason Wu to design the ivory silk chiffon, one-shouldered gown that Mrs. Obama wore to the inaugural balls in 2009 propelled the then-little-known designer (a former Narciso Rodriguez intern working out of a Midtown studio with a staff of four) into a global marketing powerhouse, with lucrative partnership deals with TSE, Net-a-Porter and, most recently, Target.

But dozens of other designers, some already stars and some barely known outside their own families, have benefited from the “Michelle Obama effect” in the three years that she has been first lady.

Sometimes the designer is an active participant in the selection of a gown, working closely with the first lady’s staff to tailor a runway look to something that accommodates Mrs. Obama’s preferences. (When the first lady wore a purple gown designed by Doo Ri Chung to a state dinner in October, it was altered from the runway original by the addition of a strap to the left shoulder, as well as a belt and a more modest slit.)

Or sometimes they just find out by turning on the news or opening the pages of Us Weekly to see Mrs. Obama wearing something they had designed a couple of seasons ago.

No matter what the circumstances, the immediate fallout is almost always the same: excited text messages and phone calls from friends and families, and then the gradual opening of once-closed doors, whether it is a retailer that showed no interest in the past or a fashion magazine that suddenly wants to pull in their clothes for an upcoming spread.

Chris Benz, who designed the blue metallic brocade skirt suit that Mrs. Obama wore at the arrival ceremony of the South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak, on Oct. 13 and the strapless sheath she wore for a gala for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute on Sept. 14, recalls, “one time I was in Denver eating a taco and another time I was at the gym” when he got the word that Mrs. Obama was wearing something of his.

Duro Olowu, a London-based designer that Mrs. Obama has worn on at least seven occasions in 2011, was tipped off that she was going to wear a sleeveless multi-print frock of his on “Oprah,” when a friend happened to see a preview for the show and called him excitedly to share the news.

Alexis Bittar, the jewelry designer and another favorite of the first lady (she wore his bracelets to the state dinner for the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, on June 7 and his flower brooch on a visit to El Salvador), counts on his mother to alert him. “My mother is a huge Michelle Obama fan,” he said, and watches for her son’s jewelry in photos.

Like Cushnie et Ochs, nearly all of the 16 designers interviewed for this article said that Mrs. Obama’s patronage had helped their business, either with an actual bump in sales or sometimes just by heightening their public image, which they believe then led to more orders by store buyers and more purchases by store customers.

For J. Crew, which Mrs. Obama has worn numerous times, from a photo spread in Vogue in 2009 to an appearance on Jay Leno last month, the association has seemingly paid solid dividends for the global brand. “It’s amazing how many people pay attention, such as in England,” says Jenna Lyons, president and creative director of J. Crew. “They say, ‘It’s the label the first lady likes.’ It’s made us relevant to customers who hadn’t thought of us before.”

For Prabal Gurung, whose clothes the first lady has worn several times, most notably to the 2011 Governors’ Dinner, the recognition factor suddenly soared. “Before she started wearing my pieces, I was just a new designer,” he said. “Maybe there were five people paying attention. Then all of a sudden people knew who I was.” He added that when he goes home to his native Nepal, everyone seems to know he has dressed Mrs. Obama.

“When you are endorsed by the first lady of the most important country in the world, that has impact,” said Naeem Khan, whose ivory chiffon beaded column dress Mrs. Obama wore to a June 2011 state dinner honoring Chancellor Merkel. “After her, I had a lot of important women wearing my clothes, royalty from other countries. It wasn’t new markets, but my business grew bigger in the Middle East and Asia.”

Press coverage, too, can get a bounce. “There’s definitely been an uptick in interest from editors,” said Gregory Parkinson, citing the impact of the pink-and-purple skirt from his spring 2011 collection that Mrs. Obama wore on vacation in Hawaii that January. “We’ve had increased attendance at the shows,” he said, adding, “It’s higher-ranked editors coming.”

Though many of the designers were happy to discuss the impact the first lady has had on their visibility or their business, few would talk specifically about their dealings with the White House or with Meredith Koop, the assistant largely acknowledged as the key stylist for Mrs. Obama, taking over a role previously filled informally by Ikram Goldman, the influential Chicago retailer.

Some were secretive. (“I don’t feel comfortable answering whether we worked with Ikram or Meredith” Mr. Gurung said.) Some were vague. (“They order clothes and you never know for when, or how, or where she is going to wear it,” said Sophie Theallet.) And some were downright hostile. (“It’s an invasion of her privacy” to discuss the first lady’s fashion decisions, said Barbara Tfank, who designed the sapphire-blue dress Mrs. Obama wore to the most recent State of the Union address.)

Mr. Wu, perhaps the designer most influenced by Mrs. Obama’s patronage, did not want to be interviewed for this article; another designer asked that a quote about the process of working with the White House be taken off the record, so as to avoid possibly angering the first lady’s staff.

The White House declined to have Ms. Koop be interviewed, issuing this statement by e-mail: “Ms. Koop’s responsibilities include advising the first lady on her wardrobe and acting on her behalf in arranging for purchases.”

FOR designers looking to outfit Mrs. Obama, sometimes being direct helps. Byron Lars, who designs under the label Beauty Mark, had dressed Mrs. Obama twice through Ms. Goldman, whom he met through Mr. Olowu, a friend. When Ms. Goldman stepped down, Mr. Lars sent pieces, unsolicited, directly to Ms. Koop.

In December, the first lady wore his fit-and-flare black frock for an Obama family portrait. “Of course, I was over the moon,” Mr. Lars said. “There’s actually a fall dress I’m working on now that is perfect for her.” He may send it over with a spring coat.

Others, like Tracy Reese, Peter Som, Ms. Theallet and Maria Cornejo (of Zero & Maria Cornejo), have shifted seamlessly between Ms. Goldman and Ms. Koop. “First, it was through Ikram, and she reached out to me,” Ms. Reese said. “We transitioned to Meredith last year, but we just consider it Mrs. Obama’s team. It was very smooth.”

All four designers said they had tweaked existing collection pieces and produced them according to Mrs. Obama’s specifications (or those of her team). For Ms. Cornejo, it’s a certain sleeve the first lady likes. Mr. Som will work with a specifically requested pattern or fabric.

And Ms. Theallet has been guided by a general idea. “For the dress she wore for the Fourth of July, they saw pictures from the Web site,” said Ms. Theallet, a French-born, New York-based designer. “They don’t give me so much direction. I made the dress with the same kind of feeling as the pictures. I change the length, then, voilà.”

Ms. Reese will extend the skirt length a couple inches to accommodate Ms. Obama’s height. “Luckily, she and I are pretty much the same size,” Ms. Reese said with a laugh. “She’s just taller and more elegant than me. Before sending the pieces out, I try them on to see if they will work.”

Though reluctant to share too many details, the designers and others in the fashion world did seem eager to talk about the influence Mrs. Obama has had on American fashion, particularly since she tended not to go for a signature look (“Nancy Reagan red”) or patronize a small number of designers.

“Unlike very chic first ladies we’ve had, like Jacqueline Onassis, Michelle Obama wears so many different designers,” said Anna Wintour of Vogue. “She wears established designers like Michael Kors and a whole array of young designers. Within that group, she’s very choose-your-own-style. She never looks like the clothes are wearing her.”

J. Crew’s Jenna Lyons agrees. “With previous first ladies, one of the things that happened is that they fell into a uniform and it was always a secondary point of view,” she said. “We’ve sort of gotten used to the suits and really downplaying the femininity aspect. The incredible thing about Michelle Obama is that she’s front and center, and it has done a lot for women in that regard.”

Added Ms. Lyons: “In the beginning, I was surprised with the Lanvin sneakers and the J. Crew skinny pants. But the thing is, we’re used to being surprised now. That’s become the standard. The only thing I have come to expect is amazing color.”

Mr. Bittar said he was struck quite recently by how the first lady has become a powerful trendsetter in fashion. “I was looking at the M.L.K. picture of her the other night with my boyfriend,” he said, referring to Mrs. Obama’s wardrobe over the Martin Luther King Birthday weekend, which included a body-skimming black dress with portrait neckline one night and a scarlet J. Mendel organza gown the next. “I said to him: ‘Can you believe this is the first lady? She looks incredible.’ ”

Additional pictures (credit: mrs-o.com)

 

[glitterpeacock]

I love the cut of the purple wrap dress but you can't beat how great Michelle looks in bright colours!

 

[Aoedele]

Good article, thanks. I do like her versatility in picking her clothes, she dresses for her not the public, which is so cool. My only critic are the kitten heeled shoes, those I don't care for.

 

[dennab216]

Credit: theobamadiary.com, mrs-o.com

Previous dress seen here is Jason Wu for target

Touring for Let's move 2nd anniversary + let's move related appareances
If anyone could tell me where I could find additional pictures of those 2 outfits, I am in love with them

Replying to tweets

She has the coolest jewelleries and green is truly her colour

PBS hour

11.02 First lady Michelle Obama arrives to speak to people of diverse faiths during a gathering at Northland in Longwood.

She is wearing Rachel Roy
I am tired of those kitten heels as well

First lady Michelle Obama reaches for a hand as she arrives for physical activity with kids at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida, Feb. 11

Funny faces

 

[dennab216]

Credit: theobamadiary.com, mrs-o.com

13.02 The President and First Lady attended the 2011 National Medal of Arts and Humanities Medal in the East Room at the White House

Michelle Obama 'Most Incredible Gift That Keeps on Giving' for J. Crew
For Jenna Lyons, Michelle Obama has been the best endorsement J. Crew has ever received. At American Express' New York Fashion Week Sky Box, the J. Crew president opened up today about the first lady, explaining that she and her family get nothing for free.
"They go to our website and they purchase just like anybody else," Lyons said. "She acts like a customer and she has a stylist who helps her, but she doesn't call in any special favors. They don't ask for any discounts. It's pretty unbelievable. … She still continues to wear the product without any help from us."
Lyons added that Obama's penchant for J. Crew clothing has been "the most incredible gift that keeps on giving." Not only did the company see a "huge lift" in business, Lyons credited Obama, 48, with creating a special bond with customers.
"The fact that they had something they had, that they owned a sweater that Michelle wore. For a lot of people, it's been an incredible point of connection, a way for them to connect to her through us," she said.
When Obama appeared on "The Tonight Show" in 2008 and told Jay Leno that her yellow sweater, skirt and blouse were a "J.Crew ensemble," the company's stock went up 8.2 percent. In 2011, Business Insider credited her with contributing to one of the most successful re-branding campaigns ever. Has this led J. Crew to cater to more mainstream celebrities in search of a similar boost?
"We just got asked to do something for somebody for the Oscars, literally this morning. I said, 'When are the Oscars? Two weeks? No way.' We can't turn samples and make really good-quality clothes on such a tight timeline," Lyons said. "I certainly love the idea but we're not set up that way. If someone wants to wear a feathered skirt and a cashmere sweatshirt, then 'yes.'"

 

[alicia753]

zimbio

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U.S. first lady Michelle Obama attends an event to announce a new report regarding military spouse employment at the Pentagon February 15, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. The report, "Supporting our Military Families: Best Practices for Streamlining Occupational Licensing Across State Lines," says that military families face a greater financial burden when moving from state to state due to licensing and credentials costs. Obama, Biden and military officials pledged to work to reduce this burden.

 

[Deleted member 112751]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/live?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl

She is surprising White House visitors right now. Such a lovely woman; love the dress she is wearing! x

 

[dennab216]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/live?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl

She is surprising White House visitors right now. Such a lovely woman; love the dress she is wearing! x

Gosh, it's the second time she does it! I hope she will do that if I ever manage to visit the WH I love how she is so unphased while most of them are freaking out and don't know what to do with themselves. She is precious

I don't like the grey outfit - there is a weird thing on the collar and it's to matchy matchy for my taste.
EDIT: I have now seen that she wore it twice before. Once in 2009, once in 2010 and now. It looks way way better without the jacket
2009

2010

Edit:credit - mrs-o.com

 

[Deleted member 112751]

people.com

 

[dennab216]

Credit: theobamadiary.com, mrs-o.com, dailymail

She is too cute, I love heart

She got it right yesterday!

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden talk outside the State Dining Room before addressing the National Governors Association annual meeting at the White House, Feb. 27, 2012.

First lady Michelle Obama listens to President Barack Obama speak in the State Dining Room of the White House, February 26. President Obama hosted the 2012 Governors Dinner which coincides with the yearly meeting of the National Governors Association meeting in DC.

Naeem Khan stricked again and damn does it looks fabulous!

Dailymail headline

Forget the Oscars red carpet - Michelle Obama gives the A-list a run for their money in dazzling gown at Governors' Dinner

 

[dennab216]

Credit: TOD

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama talk in the Green Room of the White House before hosting a Smithsonian Museum of African American History reception in the East Room, Feb. 22, 2012.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

First Lady Michelle Obama hosts a student workshop called “At The Crossroads: A History Of The Blues In America” at the White House.

And the President singing Sweet Home Chicago

(I think he really loves singing after Al Green now this. They should make a band with Michelle, she dances and he sings )

23.02 The First Lady visited the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

 

[glitterpeacock]

LOVE her dress at the Governors' Dinner. It's so glitzy and glamorous, and honestly I like it better than 99% of the Academy Awards outfits.

 

[lady.stardust]

Love both Governors looks.
The blue/green coat is too matronly.

 

[LolaSvelt]

First lady Michelle Obama (2nd L) and Samantha Cameron (L), wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron, leave after they posed for an official photo at the Grand Staircase of the White House March 14, 2012 in Washington, DC. Prime Minister Cameron was on a three-day visit in the U.S. and he had talks with President Obama earlier the day.

First Lady Michelle Obama (R) and Samantha Cameron talk during the official arrival ceremony at the South Lawn of the White House March 14, 2012 in Washington, DC. Prime Minister Cameron is on a three-day visit to the U.S. and he is expected to have talks with Obama on the situations in Afghanistan, Syria and Iran.

U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama plays tennis with students during an Olympics-themed event with area school children at American University March 13, 2012 in Washington, DC. Fifth graders from MacFarland Middle School in Washington, D.C., Manor View Elementary School in Maryland and Arlington Science Focus School in Virginia participated in a mini-Olympics competition in celebration of the 2012 London Summer Olympics and the first lady's Let's Move! initiative.

Hawa Abdallah Mohammed Salih of Sudan (C) embraces first lady Michelle Obama (L) as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) looks on during the presentation ceremony of the International Women of Courage Awards at the State Department March 8, 2012 in Washington, DC. Ten women from around the world were presented with the awards during the sixth annual ceremony to recognize their courage and leadership.

First Lady Michelle Obama (L) and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, address members of the National Governors Association in the State Dining Room of the White House February 27, 2012 in Washington, DC. The governors will conclude their three-day winter meeting today.

zimbio

 

[mordant]

Her Marchesa dress is such a gorgeous blue color!

 

[alicia753]

Love her Marchesa gown, it's gorgeous!
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Erin]

WOW. She stunned in that Marchesa gown... excellent choice.

 

[alicia753]

zimbio

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President Barack Obama, daughter Sasha Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walk across Lafayette Park on their way to services at St. John's Church, March 18, 2012 in Washington, DC. The historic church is steps away from the White House.