Must Read Mrs. O
Friday, January 23, 2009 at 1:11 PM It's taken us three days to comb through all of the post-Inauguration Mrs. O press coverage, but we've finally narrowed our "must-reads" to the list below. We have to admit, we're feeling quite charmed by Isabel Toledo's lemongrass coat and dress for Mrs. O (as was the intent), so you may see the coverage lean in her favor. We've probably missed a few good articles, so please feel free to post your recommended reading in the comments section. The Associated Press: "Michelle Obama's Dress: What color was it really?"
"'I called it lemon grass because it's not yellow, it's not green,' designer Isabel Toledo said in an interview Tuesday. The fact that colors on textiles can take on changing tones is an important element when making clothes, she said. 'It gives the wearer and the viewer much more of an individualized experience.'"
WWD: "Pomp, Circumstance and Celebs"
"Isabel Toledo said she was pleased the First Lady was willing to go with lemongrass, 'a hopeful color that is so to the core of the beginning of things.' 'It could have been blue, red and more in keeping with tradition, but I really felt we could do something different,' said Toledo."
New York Magazine: "Picture Windows"
A 2006 feature gives us a look at the magical Manhattan loft and workspace that designer Isabel Toledo shares with her illustrator husband, Ruben.
New York Times: "The First Lady, in Ivory and Vivid Yellow, Tells a Story With Fashion" (and bonus video narrated by Cathy Horyn)
"Invoking another president with a glamorous wife—that would be, maybe, John F. Kennedy? — President Obama told military guests at the Commander in Chief Ball last night, 'I have the special honor of being the guy who accompanied Michelle Obama to the ball.'"
(For background on Cathy Horyn's reference - in a May 1961 trip to Paris, President John F. Kennedy famously said, “I do not think it altogether inappropriate to introduce myself…I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris, and I have enjoyed it.”)
Washington Post: "All Hail the Leader of the Fashionable World"
"[Mrs. O] has been compared to Jacqueline Kennedy, the last first lady to so thoroughly embrace style as a form of communication. Much is made of the fact that they both wore sleek, sleeveless dresses and had an affection for pearls. But the real similarities may be in the way they used clothes to set a tone for their husbands' administrations."
"As her husband's administration promises more jobs and help for small-business owners, and emphasizes creativity as one of this country's greatest assets, Obama's choice of an iconoclastic, immigrant female designer with a modest business sends a profound message of intent."
The Huffington Post: Michelle O: Fashion Provocateur?
Finally, we'll end with a YouTube video via The Huffington Post that chronicles Creative Director Simon Doonan's impromptu reworking of the Barney's New York window displays in honor of designer Isabel Toledo and our new First Lady, Mrs. O.
Update: Adding one more "must read" that provides more background on the fast rising designer Jason Wu. New York Times: "The Spotlight Finds the Designer Jason Wu"
Isabel Toledo, Jason Wu, Narciso Rodriguez in Media
Reader Comments (25)
I hope that absolutely NO ONE misses out on Cathy Horyn's delighful presentation on Mrs. O's inauguration looks. It includes lovely pictures of Mrs. O and Cathy's own lovely words. It's only a minute and a half long but I promise it will make your day.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/01/21/us/politics/20090121-michelle-audioss/index.html
I love Michelle, since Princess Diana's passing I found all the other women boring. Now I found a new star. I love her.
Does anyone know the back-story on why Anne Klein let Toledo go? I'm liking a lot of the pieces, and from what I've read a lot of ppl raved about Toledo's runway shows for Anne Klein. Is there something that I'm missing?
Hi eh?, I came across this while reading up on Isabel Toledo...
November 2007: Jones Apparel Group announced that it would no longer produce the designer line [Anne Klein] and that Ms. Toledo would leave the company upon completing her contract. Sharon Stern, a spokeswoman for Jones, said the company is focusing on the lower-priced collections, where the real business lies.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/22/fashion/22ROW.html?n=Top/News/Business/Companies/Jones%20Apparel%20Group
lol...i love the lemongrass color rainbow as the main picture to this post
it was definitely one of my favorite outfits for the weekend...and it looked even better when you see what was underneath, with the cardigan!!
Here is a great Toledo profile that appeared in March 2008 Fashion issue of the New Yorker :
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/03/10/080310fa_fact_thurman
that video was wonderful. there is a great closeup of the silver detail on Mrs O's ballgown!
I just some amazing backstage shots from the Inauguration and the balls, taken by the official White House photographer. There are several great shots of Michelle's dress and of the Obama girls. They are all ADORABLE.
http://community.livejournal.com/obama_daily/181286.html#cutid1
OOps! I think that was the wrong link: http://community.livejournal.com/obama_daily/181286.html#cutid1
Ok, haha. It's the right link. Just scroll up to see her dress.
1. Michelle looked great at the We Are One concert. No problems here at all.
2. But she should have had on black gloves and shoes with her yellow Inaugural coat. Two different greens just didn't cut it on this formal occasion-the biggest of all. My friend from Paris said the French nearly had heart attacks at this style faux pas.
3. Ball gown's hem was TOO LONG for dancing and made her look awkward. It was tiresome watching her constantly pull it away from her back so hubbie wouldn't step on it. Another big error.
4. And, Horrors! WHAT was she wearing at the formal prayer service? Others had on suites and she had on a glorified Spring picnic dress. Pretty, but OUT OF PLACE.
Mrs. T why didn't they just have her design a lower priced line? This is what I don't understand? Especially in this economy (but even when the economy isn't bad) you make more money w/a mid range priced line. I'm not talking about J.C. Penny's, but maybe something @ Nordstroms or Macy's, Heck why not have lines @ different price points (doesn't RL do that).
I'm all for the democratization of fashion, and I think designers really need to diversify their portfolios ; )
Mrs. T
I think sometimes a lot of the big wigs in fashion think that "average" ppl aren't interested/wouldn't get their designs. I think there are a lot of ppl like Mrs. O who absolutely love fashion, even when they don't make tons of money. Heck 50 percent of the ppl in law school are women now and I know not everyone of them is into fashion (so they say) but I think if things were just a little less pricey (like instead of 1k, maybe 250/350) the hordes of women in graduate schools across the world could like single-handly save some lines.
Mrs. T: What a WONDERFULLY creative posting - loved its "bookends" - the lemongrass palette and the Simon Doonan video clip. A couple of phrases in the Washington Post excerpt captured the relevance of Michelle's fashion so well (paraphrased): "embracing style as a form of communication" and "using clothes to set the tone for her husband's administration." Love that your site is fun, informative AND promotes that relevance! Thank you.
kushka53,
I could not imagine black glove 'n shoes w/ lemon-grass. Last year Target sold a light lime (w a/lot of yellow but I wouldn't call it lemon grass) cape style coat (similar to this one but a very different collarhttp://www.target.com/Mossimo-Wool-Cape-Teal/dp/B001CR7ZW6/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=1R6BS219E375W4Q2ZZ7B&pf_rd_p=447415501&pf_rd_i=B001CNVSNM&pf_rd_s=left-5&pf_rd_m=A1VC38T7YXB528&pf_rd_t=201). I bought it (a long w/everyone else in my grad department, sigh) and I don't think black really goes w/the coat. I wear these awesome purple gloves (for the contrast) and I get lots of compliments. The Toledo outfit was even more yellow than my coat, I just can't imagine black gloves (maybe a light slivery gold).
I am not a native speaker, so I appreciate your patience with my English. I can't help writing this because I can't believe that Michelle is often compared to Jacky Onassis. There is no comparison. Jacky's classic and good taste is not by her money, but it comes from her knowledge in art history and her training in art. Michelle should stay away from gaudy colors. Jacky's style endures, but would Michelle's often casual style endure for many years? I doubt. If you think abut "elegance", who would you vote?
Elena, that video was wonderful, and I love, LOVE the close up of the detailing of her Inauguration gown.
Mrs. J, thank you for sharing your opinion. But what makes Michelle be like Jackie Kennedy is that they are both First Ladies, they both love fashion, and they are both beautiful women. There the similarities end and you're right that their styles are quite different. Jackie wore the latest fashions out of Paris and very high couture items that few could afford. Michelle is not like that at all. She is just a regular person who has an inventive spirit and a playful attitude towards clothing. She's not perfect. She doesn't get it right every time. But it's so much fun to watch her. And we have great affection for her love of clothes, and many people look up to her for her bravery.
I'm sure Michelle herself is not remotely interested in "being Jackie". She is her own distinct person.
Elena - thanks for the links. I thoroughly enjoyed them.
doreen - I completely agree. I often feel bad about this "Jackie O" thing since I don't think it's suitable. One reason is this: I was not alive during Jackie O times. I see the pictures of her and I like them, but I don't get excited over her. I don't see any personality in her pictures. They clothes are great, but there's something missing for me. I think a lot of Jackie O is the moment. Maybe Michelle will be like that too, but I feel like there is more depth to Michelle - a realness that I don't get when I see Jackie O pictures or videos.
Michelle's intelligence, determination, clothes, passion, and (to me) most importantly, her love for her family make her much more compelling than Jackie O.
I have this feeling that Michelle will be a very distinct First Lady and I'm very excited for that.
Wow, lots of great comments here. Let's see...
*eh?, you raise a good point, and I too, am always in favor of a little fashion democracy. I think the article that RJT pointed us to may have the answers though.
“Maybe I’ve survived because I’m not a fashion person,” she told me. “I don’t like the disposable culture fashion feeds into — I see myself as a maker of great hand-me-downs." I think Ms. Toledo, perhaps, is someone who appreciates the art and craftsmanship of fashion above all else. For her, it may be most rewarding to operate on a high-end, small scale. Also, as the article points out, "she has worked outside the mainstream, without much fanfare or capital" - which may be another reason we haven't seen her branch out.
*RJT, thank you for a great read as always!
*Elena, fabulous photos! Wow, so endearing. I hope everyone had a peek.
*Mrs. J and Doreen, If you can believe it, I too start to tire of the Jackie Kennedy references. I think perhaps the media went too far, and much too literal. I included Cathy Horyn's quote because of the historical reference, and Robin Givhan's (Washington Post) because I thought she so accurately summed up the true comparison.
*And thanks Monica for your kind words.
That's all from me for now. It's been an exciting but absolutely exhausting week. Whew!
I for one am tiring of the faux contests of Michelle Obama and Jackie Kennedy. Michelle is her woman so let us view her as a 21st American woman vs. some tired notion of a hermetically sealed Barbie Doll. It does her little justice as a well educated, accomplished woman in her own right. Each 1st lady is representative of a certain time period and for that I am respectful, but the tinge of commentary that Kennedy was such a par excellence and nothing or no one can touch her is a bit over the top and that not so useful in a democractic republic . It reminds me of the notion that our betters are just that perpetually better and untouchable. By the way I love this website and find out lots of fascinating information on the details of fashion, and how clothes are constructed that as a Jane every woman I really enjoy.
Here is a lovely article in NYT. It's full of praise for Mrs. O as well an amazing shot of the Jason Wu dress.
http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/inauguration-michelle-obamas-landslide/
An excerpt: Only three days in, Michelle Obama has shown more fashion chutzpah than did Laura Bush in the entire eight years of her husband’s reign. Obama’s worn Toledo, Wu and Fieth as well as J. Crew, Jimmy Choo and Sonia Rykiel. If she maintains this breakneck speed, she’ll be wearing Margiela by March. But beware: Just as President Obama has been anointed savior of our planet/the free world/democracy and whatever else, the first lady has been tapped to bail out American fashion. It is an expectation that begs confounding. So far, however, she’s dressed the part. Three days down, only 2,917 to go.
I LOVED the green-pea gloves and shoes to go with the swearing-in dress and coat. GORGEOUS! That is how I like to dress (new color combinations, citrus tones that make me happy, etc) and I'm so glad she didn't go with boring black accessories. Hooray Michelle, Hooray Ms. Toledo and Mr. Wu, and I am completely looking forward to these next 8 years!!! =) Thank you for this great blog.
I thought her entire colour palette was magnificent...from shoes to dress to gloves. Bravo!
I thought the NY Times piece about Jason Wu was really interesting - that he's never met Michelle, and that he has a line of dolls - there's a picture of one here: http://www.bloomacious.com/bloomacious/2009/01/the-new-york-times-covers-jason-wu.html