Mrs. O

by Mary Tomer

  And hopefully, she’s sort of giving the American fashion industry the kick in the pants that it needs to have a kind of changing of the guard. You could already see it this past fashion week in New York—the excitement surrounding the runway shows of all the designers that she’s worn. You could feel that something had changed… that people’s interests and priorities had changed… that there was this new generation coming up.

  *

  For a stroll on the White House lawn, the first lady wears a white, lace-up Azzedine Alaïa blouse and slim black pants.

  *

  Q&A: ROBIN GIVHAN, WASHINGTON POST

  Robin Givhan is a Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion editor for the Washington Post. In 2009, she plans to relocate from New York to Washington, where she’ll observe Michelle Obama’s influence firsthand. Her writing extends far beyond fashion commentary, searching for and teasing out the hidden messages and greater social meaning.

  Q: What message do you see the first lady’s clothes communicating?

  A: Well, I think a lot of it has to do with negotiating the many mine fields related to fashion in this country. We have a very particular and very tortured relationship to fashion as a culture. On the one hand we want to be represented well. I think, as a country, we can be a bit insecure as to how we’re perceived on the world stage, whether or not we measure up to older cultures. But at the same time, there is push back with fashion because we perceive it as something that’s elitist, or something that’s frivolous. There is a puritanical sensibility that we have about fashion.

  Somewhere there has to be a happy medium. I think what Michelle Obama has managed to do is to give people the glamour, the sense of modern-ness and contemporary style, the youth and exuberance—but at the same time grounding it in clothes that say, “I’m not presumptuous. I’m not trying to be the Queen of America,” by wearing clothes from H&M and J.Crew. So I think that’s part of the message that’s being sent.

  Q: There’s been some criticism that there’s too much attention on Michelle Obama’s style, and that we’re subsequently selling the first lady short in other respects. What do you make of this?

  A: Well, I would say that there has been an incredible hunger, and fashion vacuum in Washington for a while. So I think it’s understandable that people kind of go overboard when there is the slightest hint of a first lady who is interested in fashion, and seems to enjoy it.

  I do think there’s a danger in letting it overwhelm everything else. But I don’t think that that’s happening, and I don’t necessarily think that it is something that would happen with Michelle Obama. I tend to believe that if your clothes can become the most scintillating thing that people can find about you, then you’re not that scintillating to begin with—and I don’t think that’s an issue with Michelle Obama.

  Q: Why do you think women are so taken with Michelle Obama’s style?

  A: I don’t think that any other first lady in recent memory has injected that much personality, and personal preference into her clothing. She gives the impression that she’s dressing in a way that pleases her, as opposed to a way that is meant to be in service to the position. I think for a lot of women, that’s what they aspire to, and often, that’s where they stumble. To some degree, I think the fascination is: here’s a woman who’s not losing herself in this conceivably, enormously overwhelming spot that she’s in.

  We have archetypes in our head about what a successful female politician looks like, or what a successful female lawyer looks like, or what the stay-at-home soccer mom is supposed to look like, and whenever someone doesn’t fall into that mold, it obviously makes them stand out and we’re intrigued by that.

  On Easter Sunday, Michelle Obama wears a custom two-shoulder version of Peter Soronen’s lace dress.

  One-shoulder painted lace dress from Peter Soronen’s Spring 2009 collection.

  *

  Q&A: ANDRÉ LEON TALLEY, VOGUE

  André Leon Talley is the American editor-at-large for Vogue, and has been a driving force in American fashion for more than 25 years. For the March 2009 issue, he interviewed and profiled First Lady Michelle Obama for a feature piece, “Leading Lady.”

  Q: When did you first meet Michelle Obama?

  A: At Oprah Winfrey’s Legends ball in 2005, which was at her home in California. I first met Mrs. Obama at the dinner on Friday night, the evening before the grand ball.

  Q: What were your first impressions?

  A: I thought she was a stunning lady, with great confidence. She was articulate, and her conversation was great—not that our conversation was about fashion. It was not. At the time, I only knew that she was a senator’s wife from Chicago, but I remember that it was a big deal to have met her. I remember thinking, “This is an extraordinary human being.” But we did not keep in touch immediately after that.

  Q: So when did your paths cross again?

  A: On June 17, 2008, when myself, [Vogue editor-in-chief] Anna Wintour, [her partner] Shelby Bryan, and Calvin Klein hosted a fundraiser for the Obamas in New York City. We raised more than a million dollars for the campaign that evening, and it was splendid.

  Q: Was it the same woman you had met at Oprah’s house years before? Had she changed?

  A: No, not at all. She was still total elegance, just as I had met her. She is a woman who knows exactly who she is, who just exudes warmth and friendship. She looked immaculate as well: in an Isabel Toledo ensemble, with a Tom Binns necklace.

  Q: You’ve said in the past that you didn’t think you would see an African American president in your lifetime. At this fundraiser, were you then thinking it was possible?

  A: I was hoping and praying. I worked hard for that dream to become a reality, as did millions and millions of other Americans. To be honest, I had doubts that we could do it—but I did not give up hope.

  Q: What are your hopes for Michelle in the fashion arena?

  A: She’s already achieved it all. On her own shoulders and back and arms, she has redefined what it means to be a first lady. She’s made fashion accessible on all levels—from the high, like the Isabel Toledo lemongrass [she wore to the Inauguration], to lower price points, like her J.Crew ensembles. She has a variety, she is flexible, she is American. What could be more American than an American sweater?

  Through fashion she has created her own sense of pragmatism and something that people can identify with. People can relate to her not only as a fashion icon, but as a woman and a mother and a wife.

  Q: What do you consider to be one of Mrs. Obama’s most chicly dressed moments as first lady?

  Michelle Obama’s choice of a sophisticated, black Alaïa dress and a sweater to wear to New York on a Saturday evening on the town with the president was one of the most elegant and iconic moments in her first year as first lady. She has changed and shifted the paradigm of what elegance and beauty are. Her deportment, her way of turning casual into high style is the most powerful tool in her philosophy of “wear what you love”.

  Q: Has she ever inquired for your help on matters involving fashion?

  A: We have never discussed fashion. We’ve never had the slightest dialogue about what to wear.

  Q: What do you talk about then?

  A: Her children. Her role as the first mother of the country. Being an African American woman. Being a woman with influence, a woman of substance. I like what she stands for: you can be a woman, a good wife, and a modern mother. She fills so many shoes. She has her own identity, and she has brought so many things to view in so many different ways.

  Take the organic garden she planted at the White House. Mrs. Obama has used this garden as an educational tool, to talk about pesticides and how to prepare one’s own vegetables and inspire people to garden in their own homes.

  Q: Do you think all this attention paid to her wardrobe will overshadow this agenda?

  A: I’ve heard someone else say that, and I think that’s ridiculous. I am not worried about Michelle Obama in the slightest. She is the most capab
le woman in the world.

  *

  For a Cinco de Mayo celebration, Michelle Obama wears a cashmere argyle cardigan by J.Crew, paired with a gray pleated skirt.

  CHAPTER IX

  The People’s Perspective

  IN THE RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD that Mrs. O has been in the public eye, she has inspired millions of people from all over the world. Through Mrs-O.org, we have witnessed a growing affection for the new first lady’s style and substance. An overwhelming sense of joy permeates the discussion, whether it’s her fresh take on first lady fashion, her strong personality represented in her bold use of color, or her penchant for personalization.

  To close this book, the final thoughts come from the fans themselves. Accompanying these thoughts is a selection of artwork inspired by the first lady.

  Michelle Obama has brought fashion back to the people. Her bright outfits can inspire people in their 20s or people in their 50s.

  Ave. Cambridge, UK

  I am profoundly impressed with her choices of American, young and not as well-known designers. I love (and I’m not just throwing that word around) that she shops at the same stores as me. I’m not able to explain why, but it actually fills me with joy and pride that she’ll wear J.Crew in front of the world.

  Nicole Robinson. London, UK

  America for long has been viewed as the country of conspicuous consumption; we acquire materials things as “window dressing,” but there’s rarely anything inside. Mrs. O shows that while we may look good (and are often in pain for it!), there is substance: a good education, family values, community involvement, strong opinions, and points of view. We haven’t had a first lady of Mrs. O’s age in some time, and I believe her impact on the meaning of “woman,” “America,” and “American woman” will be changed forever, and for the better, during President Obama’s time in office.

  MINDY ROMERO. NEW YORK, NY

  Mrs. O somehow tapped into every woman’s need for expression through fashion, and coupled it with substance (her promotion of organic gardens in everyone’s backyard; of girls’ education and hard work; of volunteering for local community services). So she is very savvy in mixing the two (style and substance) because she knows she’s in an important position of influence and history in America. She is a much needed role model that is inspirational to all Americans.

  VICKY MARKHAM, WILTON, CT

  Her choices are democratic and at least semi-accessible—aspirational without being overly intimidating. As a 39-year-old working mom, I know how easy it is to just throw up your hands and grab the first thing off the rack that fits or to get stuck in a style time warp. Maybe I’m overstating it, but I think Michelle’s style has inspired a lot of busy women of a certain age to update their wardrobes and have some fun with fashion again.

  ERIKA D. PETERMAN. TALLAHASSEE, FL

  Despite being 16, I really admire how she doesn’t conform to the normal, ill-fitting suit look. She has her own style and mixes affordable things with one-off designer outfits. I hope to dress like her when I am older.

  —Cleo, London, England

  She has put a stake through the heart of the blood-sucking pantsuit! She’s made fresh, contemporary, but appropriate outfits acceptable for professional women who don’t want to look like their mothers.

  TANNER STRICKLAND LENART. SALT LAKE CITY, UT

  Mrs. O’s style is fiercely her own. Her presence of mind is so confident, strong, and secure that she radiates from the inside out. The clothes do not make the woman in this case, and that’s what makes Michelle Obama so special.

  MELINDA JAMES-LEWIS. HARLEM, NY

  I like that she’s thinking laterally and trying new designers, thus providing them with a platform they would never ordinarily have. She tries new things and is not afraid to make mistakes.

  MELANIE KING. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

  The reason why Mrs. O’s style appeals to so many people is that she is not dressing “above” us. Even when she wore her gown on inauguration night (which was lovely, feminine, and translucently gorgeous) she is one of us. She is streamlined. She is not buttoned up to the neck. She’s not trying to pretend to be the first lady. She just is. That’s what we all want. Just to be us.

  JULIA TANEN. FRANKLIN, MA

  I may be a bit unusual among those who obsessively follow Mrs. O, because I am an old, white, quietly feminist woman born in and returned to a conservative area that doesn’t fit me, but is inexpensive for retirees. I feel fiercely protective of Barack and Michelle Obama, so I have been shocked on occasion by Mrs. Obama’s clothing choices. As a little country girl who worked my way from tiny town to the big state university to the big city of Chicago, I was overly conservative in my clothing choices, so as to display my good taste and conformity as defenses against the scary world. When Mrs. O wore too many patterns, too tight cardigans, colors that don’t perfectly match, I was alarmed (the protectiveness). Then, I finally wrote to my 90+-year-old girl cousin, also an Obama voter, that I don’t care if Michelle wears a potato sack with jeweled shoes (and a studded belt, of course), I’m just going to enjoy seeing what she does next. If only I had had her dazzling confidence and self-possession and focus on others when I was young—the things that are profoundly more important than the silly details that were alarming me.

  GLORIA SCOTT. SPRINGFIELD, MO

  I love Mrs. O’s style because I can relate to it. As a low-income student and diehard fashion lover, I am inspired by Mrs. O’s elegance and risks to try new and innovative things with my wardrobe. Furthermore, for years I’ve read books on style great first lady Jackie O and have always wondered what the era of Camelot and style-icon first ladies must have been like. This year, I voted for President Obama’s policies and platforms, but I also was thrilled at the prospect of a first lady who had panache and fabulous platforms.

  DANIEL PINO. FAIRFAX, VA

  Because I love her.

  STACEY BURCH. WASHINGTON, DC

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  There is a long list of people whose participation and support made this book possible. I would like to thank the following:

  Harry Helm and Michelle Rapkin at Center Street, the most wonderful and trusting editors, for their patience, enthusiasm, and extended deadlines.

  Eileen Cope at Trident Media Group, New York literary agent extraordinaire, for seeing the potential in this book and helping it to come to fruition.

  Rodrigo Corral and Ben Wiseman at Rodrigo Corral Design, two men of remarkable talent who made this book a beautiful, visual feast!

  Marcia Froelke Coburn, a talented Chicago-based journalist and writer for Mrs-O.org. Her written contribution to this book, and Chicago perspective, have been invaluable.

  Derek Blasberg, senior writer and globetrotter, who secured, conducted, and edited wonderful interviews with Andrew Bolton, André Leon Talley, Thakoon Panichgul and Michael Kors.

  BBH, my brave and beloved employer, an advertising agency comprised of the smartest, most creative people I know. They have supported both this book and Mrs-O.org from the very beginning.

  At BBH and Zag:

  Kevin Roddy, Emma Cookson, Steve Harty, Greg Anderson, Dan Tucker, Joe da Silva, Neil Munn, Ben Malbon, Richard Schatzberger, Jeff Johnson, and Katie Harrison

  Most especially:

  Ben Jenkins, for his ongoing mentorship and partnership.

  Travis Quinn, resident bibliophile, for his discerning, artistic eye.

  Sarah Dien, for her patience and pleasant disposition.

  Evan Wolfe, who was instrumental in the the 11th hour.

  Molly Dowd, for her excellence in photo research, and Virginia Ritchie, a superb, all-around lovely intern—both of whom provided sartorial inspiration on a daily basis.

  Tremendous thanks to all of the designers, collectors, and fashion journalists who so graciously gave their time and insightful words. Their collaboration was made possible by all of the talented PR people and business partners who support them.

  Andrew Bolton; Jayne
Chase; Maria Cornejo, Gabrielle Sirkin, Marysia Woroniecka; Wendy Donahue; Pieter Erasmus; Karen Erickson, Caroline Payne, Chris Shields, Mandie Erickson, Monique Erickson; Robin Givhan; Claire Howorth; Rossella Jardini, Claudia Magic, Michelle Stein, Elisa Brontini, Sarah Monti; Michael Kors, Billy Daley, Molly Biscone; Timothy Long; Jenna Lyons, Lance Lin and Heather McAuliffe; Tamara Mellon, Hannah Lawrence, Lana Silva, Caroline Berthet; Booth Moore; Kai Milla, Kate Goldberg, Tina Malhotra, Lisa Petersen; Isaac Mizrahi, Jennifer Lurie, Sarah Carnabuci, Rachel Freedman; Karen O’Brien, Ashley Futterknecht; Thakoon Panichgul, Lisa Lupinski; Maria Pinto, Mark Davidovich, Laura Verdugo; Pierre Rainero, Erin Collins; Donna Ricco, Kristi Baudone; Patrick Robinson, Sarah Anderson; Loree Rodkin, Marla Bell; Narciso Rodriguez, Jenny Kim, Kate Etter; Carolyn Rosenberg; Sonia Rykiel, Michelle Melton; Peter Soronen, Ellen Carey; André Leon Talley; Carole Tanenbaum; Isabel Toledo, Ruben Toledo; Diane von Furstenberg, Emese Szenasy; Lena Wald, Karen Davis-Weyman; Junya Watanabe, Alexis Liu; Jason Wu, Gina Pepe, Gustavo Rangel; Joe Zee, Akiko Matsuura, Christopher Cunningham, Jed Root

  Additionally:

  Christina Latargia, Etro; Iliana McGrath, Creativity, Inc.; Jennifer Uglialoro, H&M; Kona Bay Fabrics

  The beautiful images in this book would not have been possible without the help of the following:

  Ted Ciuzio, AP Images; Nancy Glowinski, Reuters; Craig Granger, Getty Images; Lauren Moosbrugger & Scott Candiotti, Corbis Images; Coral Petretti, Disney/ABC Television Group; Ronald Pledge, Contact Press image; Josette Lata, Josette Lata Represents; Sherry Riad, Radical Media; Bill Stockland, Stockland Martel; Amy Barton, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School

  Special thanks to those who submitted illustrations for consideration.

  Additional thanks to:

  Emma Axling, Ammo Agency; Shereka Evans,Traffic; Karine Garnier and Katja Martinez, Katja Martinez Agency; Petra Koivisto, Pekka; Stephanie Pesakoff, Art Department Illustration Division