Fashion Industry Hopes Michelle Obama Will Broaden Fashion Choices
Women's Wear Daily discusses openly what the American fashion designers have been discussing for months: the lack of mainstream American designers in the first lady's wardrobe. No one seems critical of Michelle Obama, but there is a sense that the American First Lady is in a unique position to help out the American industry. She has worn quite a bit J.Crew, and that certainly has helped sparked renewed interest in American brands. But so far of all the major American designers, only Michael Kors has dressed the first lady. He provided a lovely dress for her official White House portrait.
Who cares about one woman’s wardrobe choices in this time of turmoil? A lot of people. London fawning has officially crossed over from gushing to silly, The Daily Telegraph proclaiming Obama “the mint-green queen of fashion,” while The Guardian said “Mrs. O has all but obliterated last year’s Carlamania from the fashion history books, with an outfit that draws a direct bloodline between her look and the wardrobe with which Jackie Kennedy wowed Europe in 1961.”
To a large extent, the fashion ship sails on such hyperbole — and on human product placement. Especially now, the kind of worldwide attention Obama and her labels are getting can boost an entire corporate psyche from designer to ground floor. It can boost sales as well. Obama's now famous J. Crew beaded cardigan reportedly sold out by midmorning on Wednesday. Similarly, might not a chic sighting of the First Lady in Ralph Lauren or Donna Karan prod some women to stroll through Saks Fifth Avenue or Neiman Marcus? As Calvin Klein's Francisco Costa puts it, "We'd be thrilled to dress the First Lady, of course. She has the power to influence consumers."
Within the major fashion houses, there is a growing desire for Obama to broaden her choices to include their wares. "American fashion right now is struggling," says Oscar de la Renta. "I think I understand what [Obama and her advisers] are doing, but I don’t think that is the right message at this particular point....I don’t object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it’s wrong to go in one direction only."
Tommy Hilfiger takes a more temperate view, applauding Obama for not focusing only on the high end. "I'm happy that she's wearing young designers and not only wearing [American] couture, which puts her more in touch with real people," he says.
Oscar de la Renta understands what's going on here. It's a recession and the White House is wary of looking too glamorous or insensitive to Americans' financial troubles by wearing expensive designer gowns and clothing all the time. And clearly her tastes runs more to youthful, younger designers such as Jason Wu. Our sense is that as time goes on, Michelle will most likely cycle her way through all the major American design houses and give those designers a chance to show off their American style on the world stage.
