Event: First Ladies and Their Impact on American Fashion

Kate Betts, author of Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style, is hosting an upcoming panel discussion at the New York Public Library. The chat will feature Mrs. O-favorite designers Peter Soronen, Sophie Theallet and Rachel Roy, as well as Patricia Mears, Deputy Director for the Museum at FIT. Details below!

First Ladies and Their Impact on American Fashion

Tuesday, April 12, 2011, 6 p.m.

New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, South Court Auditorium

Click here for further details. 

Comments

[Mrs. T]

P.S. I'm unable to attend due to my class schedule, but am sure this will be great. If anyone goes, please report back! xx Mrs. T

[Megan]

Michelle Obama came to the role of First Lady with her own fully developed style and that is what we are seeing on a daily basis, noted Rachel Roy at last night's NYPL event. All three designers on the panel spoke of the thrill of first seeing Mrs. O in their clothes. It was a surprise to each of them; to date none have met the First Lady in person! A friend called Peter Soronen with the news that Michelle Obama was on TV wearing one of his suits. Admitting he rarely watches TV, he quickly scanned through the remote until he found her. Sophie Theallet said that Michelle Obama is unique in the world. In no other country is the First Lady considered as important to national policy and cultural matters. She was touched that Mrs. O chose two of her dresses for important events: honoring Sojourner Truth and her arrival in Ghana. Patricia Mears gave a brilliant assessment of the impact on fashion by the wives of US Presidents and recommended a book (title?) about Mary Todd Lincoln's seamstress (name?) who was brought from slavery to create Mrs. Lincoln's clothes. She noted that Hillary Clinton later rued not having taken fashion more seriously when she was First Lady as she didn't understand until later the symbolic and economic importance to our country. A short, humorous discussion followed on what the First Man would wear if we had a female president. Kate Betts had been looking for a platform through which she could defend the importance of style, too often deemed a frivolous concern. Mrs. Obama's wardrobe choices as FLOTUS presented the perfect opportunity to write her book, Everyday Icon. All in all it was an interesting and fairly well attended event. Thank you for posting it in advance so that I could attend. I am a big fan of your mrs-o.org.

[Terri Austin-Randolph aka Mrs. STAR]

@ Megan

You are so cool!

Thank you so very much for your enjoyable and extremely well written posting. I feel like I was there.

Mrs. O, Dr. Biden, Mrs. T, and people like you are why I love this site.

Peace