At Last, Mrs. O Wows in Jason Wu
Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:20 PM 
Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images
Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images
After months of speculation and hundreds of designs, we finally get to lay eyes on Mrs. O's Inaugural Ball gown - a gown for the ages. We are amazed and delighted. On the first day of December, we wrote a post entitled "A Name to Remember" that was inspired by the young designer behind the perfectly sophisticated, modern shift dress Mrs. O wore for an interview with Barbara Walters.
The designer of said dress was Jason Wu - a 26 year old Taipei native, former student of designer Narciso Rodriguez and finalist for the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize. Tonight, Mr. Wu won the greatest prize of all, dressing our First Lady in a winter white one-shoulder gown flecked with organza flowers and crystals for the Inaugural Ball. Of great interest is what Cheryl Tan of Heard on the Runway reported at the time of the Barbara Walters interview:
Mr. Wu isn't working on any more 'special projects' for Ikram at the moment but is hoping to get another call. While Seventh Avenue has been abuzz over who Mrs. Obama will wear on Inauguration Day, Mr. Wu said he isn’t focusing on that. “Oh,” he said, “that’s a long shot!”
As background, Ikram (referenced in the paragraph above) is Ikram Goldman, the owner of the famed Chicago boutique that bears her first name. We explored Ikram's style influence in a piece earlier this week, "The Mix is the Message". She is responsible for connecting Mrs. O with many of the designers that have become familiar names throughout the campaign and inauguration. In an odd twist, Mrs. O's gown shows similiarity to the design we predicted in interviews with the Chicago Tribune and NPR several weeks ago:
"Winter white chiffon gathered asymmetrically from an empire waist to one shoulder, with a gray-silver full satin skirt. A bejeweled diamond brooch worn off-center at the waist line."
With so many pointing to Mrs. O's penchant for jewel tones, we thought she might choose just the opposite: a white winter that we would remember forever. Indeed we will.
Update: Cathy Horyn of the New York Times is on the case once again - love her. In a conversation with Jason Wu this evening, the designer revealed that he didn't know Mrs. O was going to wear his dress until he saw it this evening. The designer went on to describe the 8 to 10 yards of silk chiffon, and many crystals that went into the design. "It had to sparkle," he said. The dress had been based on measurements and details provided by Ikram Goldman.
Later Tuesday evening, Jason Wu spoke with CNN to explain his inspiration for the dress. "It's about hope. It's about newness," he said. "It's all a little dreamlike, and we're making history, and I wanted to really reflect that." We can practically hear the well-deserved excitement in the designer's voice as he added, "It's thrilling. ... For a young designer, I couldn't ask for any more than this."
Ikram, Jason Wu in Inauguration 2008, Outfits
Reader Comments (218)
The fashion media is being careful not to offend. Michelle sells magazines and they want her on their magazine covers or at least in their pages. From what I’m hearing, most people I know thought the evening dress was bad and they day ensemble was too bulky and the color was weird. So if your average Joe didn’t like it, you know the fashion industry people didn’t like it. On all the fashion reviews, you can see them talking all over themselves trying to find something nice to say about her outfits yesterday.
Look, I do makeup and used to be a personal shopper some years ago. I do think Michelle likes clothes. You don’t wear the kind of stuff she wears and not have a love of clothes. But you may be right that she doesn’t care about “image” per say. To which I say, she ought to start caring about “image”. I think Michelle is so pretty and has a good figure that can pull off really interesting clothes. I don’t want her to start getting clowned like Hillary.
I wish I could have styled her yesterday! First off, no more dark makeup. I want to strangle her makeup artist. One, for that dark dreary almost gothic look he/she gave her at the Lincoln Memorial concert, and two, for not giving her a a completely fresh makeup job for the balls! Her face was practically BARE!! That was unacceptable. Makeup finishes off a look. I guarantee you, had her makeup been on point, and her hair as well, people wouldn’t even be talking about that dress, they’d be looking at her lovely face. Secondly, I knew her hair would not be at it’s best this week. Loyalty is great, but if that person doesn’t make you look your best when the eyes of the entire world are on you, then you don’t need to hire them. When I found out it was her local hairdresser, the one who thought it was a good idea to give a 42 year old woman a stiff flipped bob, I knew her hair would not look it’s best. Take stock of your best looks and hire the people who make you look your best. Period. Loyalty be damned. Her hair looked like her lil’ cousin did it. Perfectly fine if she’s just a regular woman running to out to lunch with the girls. She should have worked with the man who did her hair at the DNC. It was sleek, shiny, and had body, and it never moved out of place. And she should have kept whoever did her makeup at the DNC. Her makeup was flawless. You saw her face, not the makeup.
I know I’m ranting but I’m mad that these people have the biggest gig in the world, and they’re making their client, the First Lady, look off. Whoever did her makeup yesterday and at the Lincoln Memorial concert does not know what they are doing. I couldn’t stand seeing that big plum stripe across the entire side of her face, supposed to be blush. Michelle Obama already has super high cheekbones. She does not need to have her cheekbones “created”! She should have had a lovely blush just on the apple of her cheeks. No more plum lipstick, no more black eyeliner, no more sharp eyebrows. She has good strong features. They did her makeup the way you would do makeup on a woman who has a flat face. You don’t have to “create” features for her, she already has them.
The thing is, there’s so much to work with with Michelle Obama. Yet the people who glam her up are not doing their job.
And don’t get me started on the daytime ensemble. I liked that it was different, but again, it was not functional and there were too many elements that made it look sloppy. One, it added 20 pounds to her. If by chance someone had been living under a rock and just saw Mrs. Obama for the first time yesterday morning, I’m sure they were shocked that she had such slim and trim arms and shoulders! She is a woman who is dedicated to fitness. Show it off. Why she would wear something that made her look heavy and shapeless is beyond me. Seeing her svelte figure in that traffic stopping tomato red dress she wore when she visited the Bush family in November, you’d never imagine that was the same body in that bulky outfit yesterday. Why add 20 pounds. Who thought that was a good idea! It’s like every good option was turned down. It’s like the thought process was, “Let’s see, she looks great in bright colors and sleek clothes.Yes, let’s put her in the ugliest pea soup green and make her look like bulky. Genius!”
I would have put her in purple for day. That’s is her signature color. Like royalty. It would have been a purple wool skirt that hit right about above the knee. Paired it with a navy blue tie neck blouse. Over the blouse, a matching jacket, a purple cowl neck wool coat. Nipped in at the waist, hitting her right above the hip. Pair with black knee high mid-heeled boot. That look would show off her hourglass shape, it would be nice and structured, bright and colorful, and it would keep her warm as well.
For evening, I think she got one thing right. The asymmetrical top. Few can pull that off, and if you can do it, do it. But here’s what I would have put her in.
This dress in this color from the waist up:
http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/include/Zoom.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446204408&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574492398631&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474399545537&bmUID=1232588622579
Add this from waist down:
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod66210018&parentId=cat9360741&masterId=cat9360733&index=12&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat17740747cat000131cat9360733cat9360741
The gown ...gorgeous but a technical nightmare. The train of the dress stole the show not first couple. The train tripped up the evening at all ten ball sites. She should have gone home after realizing she could not twirl with her man, slipped into another gown and given this one to the daughters to play Cinderella in.
It is going to hard for her to pull some fashions off because of her bulky shape and her stance..and if people would quit trying to compare her to Jackie (that bar is way too high) i believe she would get nicer comments..and whoever said BO was fine...he is a nice looking guy if you can get curious george out of your mind...
Nyro, in your email you make valid points and I 'choose' to like your recommendations! (I say choose because everyone may not agree :-) Stay in the personal shopping business.
For the last time, Nyro and others:
SHE WAS WEARING A BULLET-PROOF VEST UNDERNEATH THE INAUGURAL OUTFIT. HOW SLEEK WOULD YOU LOOK WITH A BULKY ASS BULLET-PROOF VEST ON?
Learn to read before you aim stupid comments at someone.
TLD,
Go back to your white hate site, idiot. Get over it. A gorgeous black woman is the First Lady and her gorgeous black husband is the LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD and their gorgeous black daughters are pampered princesses and a doted on in ways your white child will never be. Get over your jealousy. It oozes through the screen.
The one word that comes to my mind to describe how Michelle looked in this dress is young. She really, really did look like a girl of 25. Not many dresses can do that to a woman--even a gorgeous one, like Michelle. And it was the way the dress moved and sparkled along with her bare shoulders, and the fresh white fabric, that did it. I think a sleek, jewel-toned dress like the one we had all pictured, would have been beautiful as well. But this dress was special. I think it went a step beyond. Plus, look how happy she is!
After talking with some people in the industry, I feel like the biggest problem she had was letting her outfits for Tuesday be made by inexperienced designers. America has many experienced designers that could have rocked the day. It is not the style, or the fabric, or the final look. It is the nuance that they supply after a few years of fitting real people in real situations. Obviously, Jason Wu did not know how to fit a body that was not a 'model' size, and the long length in front was unforgivable. Poor Mrs. O was tripping all night long (I felt for her because she should have been able to breeze through the night - her husband was!). Toledo lacked skill in other areas. Everyone designing should have known that she would most likely have a flak jacket under the dress if they planned to get out and walk. Why design something that made it impossible to look comfortable and was tight in the arms as well? She also lined it in white?? and every time the coat? flew open there it was (and no facing). Maybe she was trying to keep it less bulky but why not match or use the celery green of the bow? I loved her look in the beige and black suit and expected more of the same. The top picture above does look fabulous though so maybe they will use it more than some of the others in publicity. I do admire her guttsyness in wearing a bare-armed gown. Her arms are spectacular and she should be rightfully proud of them. Oh, well, it is done and we should embrace the look and her as well. We do not want another Jackie, we need a new look from Washington. (I am old enough to remember the Jackie styles as my mother wore them and they were stuffy. We do not need stuffiness now!)
I thought both dresses were beautiful. She looked elegant. The first outfit I would absolutely buy, the gown (with minor alterations) I would also buy.
Yes, I think we should remember this is a commentary on her fashion and not on or against her! I love Hillary Clinton but hate her jewel tone pants suits! I agree with a post above that she should use more experienced designers. If she won't use foreign (Armani would be excellent for her) then perhaps Donna or Calvin...maybe Caroline Herrera.
I don't think her jeweltone choices have been kind to her i.e. dres she wore to visit White House, She's a big woman but she's not huge for heaven's sake.
They flowery dresses (one for a debate and the other for the prayer service) were wonderful. And there's nothing wrong with black, navy and grey or pale colors. She meedn't look like a pineapple (inauguration...I know boo, hiss or a lollipop)
Again She is beautiful, but needs some guidance in her choices. Te kids outshone her when she wore the yellow!
BTW Jackie wasn't stuffy then....she was veru au courant!
@ Elena on 21 January, 2009 at 1:15 pm
UGLY as usual —– Yesterday, Today. What’s up with the floral team? — My new name for her is BIG BIRD… Can Oprah HELP A SISTER OUT? ahhhhhhhhh
Where is the moderation on this blog?! This is an insulting post toward out beautifully stylish First Lady. I am disappointed at the posts that I am reading and I am beginning to wonder if they are trolls from the other side. I will discontinue perusing this site if people continue to be so negative. I absolutely loved both outfits on Inauguration day! The gown simply took 10 years off her, and the lemongrass outfit was complex and memorable.
Hi Cassg,
That was not me who said that! I would never in my life be so rude! My comment was the one above that one, and I was saying the opposite of what that person said. The person who made that comment was "Beautiful Black Woman", who is obviously very ugly inside. Though I vote for it to stay just because once you start removing comments it could be a slippery slope.
heck this out designers are already trying to make a mass market copy of Michelle inaugural gown. Like I said in one of the other threads, I’m sure there will be a lot of ppl wearing similar styles for prom (and weddings). But again I’d never seen a dress like that b4 (and I’ve been to a lot of proms and weddings)
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/fashion/2009/01/22/2009-01-22_fashions_copycats_are_having_a_ball_knoc.html
As much as I critisized the inauguration outfit and the flowery dress for the mass, I think this one was great. Mrs O looked just perfect in that lovely white Jason Wu. great great choice.
SHE LOOKED LIKE A PRINCESS
I love the totality of the look and the message. I am Black and am tired of the over the top over-sexed Beyonce look. She looked sweet, lovely, soft, light, airy, and innocent. She is the ‘brainy girl’ who is now being asked to be a fashionista. She is a little awkward and I love it. The whole time I watched her I was thinking of what the president said he thought about her when he first met her. He said he saw a vulnerability in her eyes. She was obviously not as comfortable on the stage as he was. I find that endearing. While I do love color there will be plenty of occasions for color. This night was about reset and rebirth. No other color sends that message better than white. That is what we need now. It warms my heart to think 17 year old girls will want to wear that look to the next prom rather than slinky Las Vegas looks. I think the dress will stand the test of time. I can only imagine how her daughters must have looked at her when they saw her in that dress. She looked like a princess...something that the world is not used to seeing. I am thinking we may see a subtle change in Beyonce's look going forward.
· I LOVE THAT THE FIRST LADY IS GIVING LESSER KNOWN DESIGNERS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY , MY FIRST QUESTION IS HOW DO I GET SOMETHING TO HER ? I AM A TALENTED DESIGNER ALSO ,CAN ANYONE OUT THERE HELP ME ? i WANT TO PUT IT IN HER HAND NOT TO BE PLACED ON A DESK SOMEWHERE ?
WHO ARE HER STYLIST ?, I THOUGHT SHE DIDNT HAVE ONE? HELP PLEASE !
· LASTLY, I DO THINK SHE IS MAKING A STATEMENT NOT TO BOX HER IN AS SHE HAS HER OWN MIND & TASTE, WHICH I FIND VERY REFRESHING !
Slideshow http://in.news.yahoo.com/photos/slideshow/the-new-fashion-icon-first-lady-michelle-obama.html Compared to all these styles, Michelle stands head and shoulders above all these women and their gowns.
My apologies, Elena! I just feel so discouraged because this blog started out to be so positive. I wish it would continue on the spirit of admiration for Mrs. Obama's personal style and her own journey through fashion.