Obama put next-gen designers in the national spotlight
The American fashion industry found a champion in Michelle Obama, who elevated the profile of young and up-and-coming designers by wearing their creations on magazine covers and to official state events. USA TODAY’s Cara Kelly highlights five who caught
The Taiwan-born designer started his eponymous label only two years before creating Obama’s first inaugural gown. He interned for another Obama favorite, Narciso Rodriguez, before starting on his own line. He since has become the artistic director for Hugo Boss Womenswear and launched a contemporary line with more affordable options. But evening wear is still his trademark, due in no small part to that iconic white gown, now in the First Ladies Collection at the National Museum of American History. TRACY REESE Reese had a following of working women looking for quality, fun dresses at moderate prices well before Obama wore the designer on the cover of Ebony magazine. But that image, as well as the custom dress Reese created for the first lady’s appearance at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, made her a household name. THAKOON Obama has been a Thakoon devotee since the early days of her time in the public eye. While campaigning in 2008, she often chose dresses from the young Thai-American designer, who started his line in 2004. He had an otherwise stellar year in 2008 with a successful Target collaboration. He later took a break from showing at fashion week but returned in September, with a new see-now-buy-now approach, allowing customers to buy clothes from the runway and in a new store in New York. SOPHIE THEALLET A black ribbon dress worn by Obama to the unveiling of a bust of abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth in 2009 is credited by some as putting Theallet on the map. The dress came from the French-born designer’s Spring 2009 collection, which Theallet presented at New York fashion week with a runway filled with black models. The designer has continued to push boundaries, vocalizing her support of casting models of all sizes, and writing an open letter urging designers not to dress future first lady Melania Trump. BRANDON MAXWELL One of the last designers Obama exalted during her time as first lady, Maxwell is a star on the rise in the fashion industry. Though he has only a few collections under his belt, he was awarded the CFDA Swarovski award for womenswear in 2016. The smalltown, East Texas native has designed dresses worn by Obama on the October cover of InStyle and for the Singapore state dinner in August.