Monday 31 January 2011

Michelle Obama wears dress by American designer Rachel Roy to State of the Union address.

Designers, retract your claws. Michelle Obama wore an American designer's creation to Tuesday night’s State of the Union address.

The First Lady wore a simple silver sheath dress by Rachel Roy. She wore a black-and-white ribbon at the neckline as a show of support to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who could not be in attendance. The Arizona congresswoman is recovering from the Jan. 8 assassination attempt at the hands of a deranged gunman

The First Lady caused a style stir among the likes of Oscar de la Renta and Diane Von Furstenberg last week for daring to wear a scarlet Alexander McQueen to a state dinner with China.

The color red may symbolize good luck in Chinese culture, but her choice to wear a British designer ruffled a few feathers.

Von Furstenberg, the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, told Women’s Wear Daily, "We were surprised and a little disappointed not to be represented for this major state dinner."

De la Renta was miffed as well.

"My understanding," de la Renta told WWD, "is that the visit was to promote American-Chinese trade -- American products in China and Chinese products in America. Why do you wear European clothes?"

The CFDA can rest easy for now. Roy, a young designer of Indian and Dutch parentage was born and raised in California.

No comments: