Who might dress new first lady Melania Trump on Inauguration Day?

Fashion arbiters the world over will be scrutinising the outfit Melania Trump wears on Friday, January 20 at the inauguration of her husband, US president-elect Donald Trump. If history is anything to go by, the first-lady-in-waiting’s ensemble for the Inaugural Ball will be in a shade of red, white or blue, reflecting the American flag. In keeping with tradition, an American designer will almost certainly dress Trump, and Zac Posen (who has dressed Michelle Obama, Uma Thurman and Rihanna, among others) is a front-runner. There are many big names, however, who are not so keen to be considered, including Marc Jacobs, who is no fan of Trump’s husband. Tom Ford has also said she should not choose his collections, because they are not made in the United States but in Italy. He added that a first lady should wear clothes “at a price point that is accessible to most Americans”. Another dissenting voice is Sophie Theallet, whose independent label has dressed Michelle Obama since President Obama entered office in 2009. “As one who celebrates and strives for diversity, individual freedom, and respect for all lifestyles, I will not participate in dressing or associating in any way with the next first lady,” says Theallet. “I encourage my fellow designers to do the same.” Designers from the Middle East have rarely featured in the wardrobe of previous first ladies. “Fashion is boundless and it shouldn’t have political affiliations, nor should it discriminate,” says Dubai-based couturier to the rich and famous, Michael Cinco. “It would be an honour and a pleasure to dress the incoming first lady. She has vowed to strengthen her advocacy for the welfare of women and children, and she’s a woman of intelligence and beauty – and at 5’11” [180cm], one of the tallest first ladies. So, I would certainly love to dress her.” In exchange for a first lady wearing their pieces, designers are likely to receive worldwide media coverage rather than the hundreds of thousands of dirhams the couture itself might cost. The White House remains stubbornly tight lipped about how the first lady’s vast wardrobe is obtained, but it is believed most outfits for major events are either “donated” or borrowed. For the other, day-to-day outfits, despite having no clothing allowance or a salary, some first ladies choose to pay for them, albeit for a nominal fee. “Mrs Obama pays for her clothing,” says Joanna Rosholm, Michelle Obama’s press secretary. “For official events of public or historic significance, such as a state visit, the first lady’s clothes may be given as a gift by a designer and accepted on behalf of the US government. They are then stored by the National Archives.” ------------------------------------------- Signature styles The maverick: Melania Trump Melania Trump. Don Emmert / AFP There’s no denying that the next first lady knows how to put an outfit together, and her slender frame lends itself well to her staple wardrobe of elegant sheath dresses. She favours designers such as Dolce&Gabbana, wearing a black cocktail dress by the Italian duo, worth US$3,000 (Dh11,000), to her New Year’s Eve party (above). Stefano Gabbana’s “thank you” message to her on Instagram sparked outrage from some fans who interpreted the post as an endorsement of Donald Trump’s often controversial political views. Melania Trump is not one for busy patterns or conversational prints, instead preferring block colours, tone-on-tone layering and plenty of classic black and cream. Her styling is flawless and carefully considered, with her bags of choice including Bottega Veneta clutches and Chanel’s quilted 2.55 design. Jackets are draped over Trump’s shoulders and she walks tall in Christian Louboutin’s Pigalle stilettos in various colours. Jewellery, is also kept to a minimum, too, with pearl stud earrings and a 12-carat emerald cut diamond ring on her wedding finger. While Trump appears to have the makings of a model first lady of fashion, her style archives tell a different tale. She was once a fan of brassier colours, shiny-sheer fabrics and revealing dresses adorned with glinting beads. Hemlines have come down and necklines gone up in what some might call a clear case of “dressing for the job you want”. The trendsetter: Michelle Obama Michelle Obama. Getty images From the moment she fully emerged into the public eye at her husband’s inauguration on January 20, 2009, incumbent first lady Michelle Obama has not stopped making fashion headlines. Her style is eclectic, youthful and fun, anything but confined to a specific cut, colour or creative director. She is unafraid of bold shades, and her signature style comprises botanical prints and playful patterns on knee-length skater dresses that show off her famously toned arms. Obama is at her most commanding when wearing evening gowns by Naeem Khan, who is also a favourite of Queen Noor of Jordan. The Indian-American designer sent camera bulbs flashing last September when he dressed the first lady in a black tulle ball gown hand-painted with gold leaf for a state occasion (above). Other couture creations Obama has pulled off with aplomb over the past eight years include designs by Oscar de la Renta, Narciso Rodriguez and the house of Alexander McQueen. The two dresses she wore to her husband’s inaugurations were made by Jason Wu, and for her final White House State Dinner, at which Italy was the country of honour, Atelier Versace draped her in a rose-gold chain-mail gown. Obama’s understated, pretty and pared-down accessories take the form of kitten heels in patent and pops of colour, plus her much-loved silver pumps by Jimmy Choo. No clutch bags, shawls or headpieces for this first lady – statement earrings and strings of pearls do the trick. The icon: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jackie Kennedy. Art Rickerby / The LIFE Picture Collection / Getty images Clean lines and pastel colours epitomised the wardrobe of Jacqueline Kennedy during President John F Kennedy’s tenure in the White House, from January 20, 1961 to November 22, 1963. For her husband’s Inauguration Ball, the first lady wore an off-white silk chiffon gown with matching cape, designed in collaboration with Bergdorf Goodman’s Ethan Frankau. Kennedy’s penchant for French maisons was evidenced by her Givenchy evening gowns and go-to pencil skirts by Chanel. One of the most photographed women in the world, an enduring image is of her wearing a pink bouclé Chanel suit and matching pillbox hat on the day her husband was assassinated – though the suit was later revealed, by Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, to be a copy. Remaining true to the aesthetics of the 1960s, Kennedy’s dresses were commonly boxy, A-line or knee-length swing shifts. Coats were caped with three-quarter-length sleeves and oversized round buttons. She flitted effortlessly between the Capri-pant chic of Cape Cod and the high-society glamour she oozed on her wedding day in a romantic, hourglass gown by Ann Lowe. Credited with helping to craft the “Jackie look” was Hollywood costumer-turned-couturier Oleg Cassini. A much-copied outfit he designed was Kennedy’s apricot silk zibelline dress, accented at the waist with a bow, for a trip to India in 1962 (above). In her ‘Onassis years’, she increasingly wore Valentino and Carolina Herrera and styled her looks – as she had throughout the years – with “bug eye” sunglasses and triple-strand pearls. rduane@thenational.ae

Who might dress new first lady Melania Trump on Inauguration Day?

With the fashion world waiting to see what new first lady Melania Trump will wear at her husband Donald's inauguration, we take a look at the designers in the running to dress her – and the onews who definitely will not.