Michelle Obama's Inauguration Day Style - FIT for a Museum
Michelle Obama's Inauguration ensemble by Isabel Toledo is art! The Museum at FIT is hosting "Holy Toledo!" a retrospective of the designer's work. Photos: Courtesy of The Museum at FIT | Getty Images
Mrs. O's Inauguration Ensemble, a soft yellow sheath and matching overcoat by Isabel Toledo, will be on display from today (June 17) through September 26 at The Museum at FIT. The look is included in "Isabel Toledo: Fashion From the Inside Out," a mid-career retrospective of the designer's work.
Considered a cult designer in fashion and admired by the likes of Calvin Klein's Francisco Costa, Cuban-American Toledo has been designing since the mid-1980s. Yet, unlike many designers, Toledo doesn't sketch, but prefers instead to think about each piece three-dimensionally.
Conveniently, though, when the designer does need a sketch, she's married to famed fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo, whose work has appeared in high-profile publications such as Vogue.
On her design process, Toledo says, "I think of it as fashion from the inside out. I can describe an idea or even feeling to Ruben, and he'll sketch it."
Because Toledo works so intimately with her pieces, she likes to call her work "demi-couture." The designer often uses sculptural techniques and couture-worthy materials, but in a way that is still easy to wear.
For example, the First Lady's inauguration dress and coat were constructed of a satin-backed guipure usually used in French haute couture houses.
Luxurious and easy to move in? Looks like Toledo isn't only a designer's designer, but a women's woman, as well.
Style Evolution: Michelle Obama
First Lady Michelle Obama leaves the House of Commons in London wearing Hussein Chalayan.
Oli Scarff, Getty Images
While perusing the Bonpoint boutique in Paris with her daughters, First Lady Michelle Obama wears a feminine frock by surfer dude designer Tracy Feith.
Goff/INFphoto.com
Michelle Obama is the queen of high-low fashion. For lunch with Nancy Reagan at the White House on June 3rd, she paired a $10 T-shirt and $25 cardigan from the Gap (on sale, thank you very much!) with a luxe Michael Kors pencil skirt.
Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton
The First Lady cut the ribbon officially opening the newly renovated American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City wearing this chic creation by all-American designer Isaac Mizrahi.
Dziekan, Retna Digital
Michelle Obama continued her reign atop the fashion hierarchy at Time's "Most Influential People in the World" gala. The First Lady opted for a black full-length Michael Kors dress (not Azzedine Alaia as previously reported) and Peter Soronen corset with a white gold and rose cut diamond necklace by Loree Rodkin.
Kevin Mazur, Getty Images
This one-shoulder gown by Jason Wu was seen around the world. Proving her fashionable prowess, the newly-appointed First Lady boldly chose a dress by the relatively unknown designer. Knowing what works for her body, she eschewed anything too dowdy or cleavage-baring and instead focused on her favorite asset - toned arms.
Mark Wilson, Getty Images
Many a critic found Obama's Junya Watanabe cardigan rather unsettling. The controversial piece, worn over a teal full-skirted Jason Wu dress, should get points for blending brown and blue if nothing else. At least her clothes fit better than poor Sarah Brown's, wife of the British Prime Minister.
Joel Ryan, WPA Pool/Getty Images
While we're the first to embrace Mrs. O's style, we must admit that these clothes look like they spent too much time in the dryer. In comparison to the buttoned up Dr. Jill Biden, Obama's ensemble is more play school than preppy. Clearly, the argyle detail on a sweater is a recurring favorite.
Mandel Ngan, AFP / Getty Images
While walking through a the White House rose garden on April 28th, Obama showed her love for a new designer, Sophie Theallet, in a full-skirted 1950s-inspired day dress. WWD reported that the First Lady was introduced to Theallet's clothing vis-a-vis her personal style consultant Ikram Goldman, and not Azzedine Alaia, for whom she used to work.
Mark Wilson, Getty Images
Another day, another argyle cardigan by Junya Wantanabe. We don't think that kids would mind as much as we do this particular ensemble. Love the colors but, in the words of Tim Gunn, "make it work!" The belt has an awkward placement and the shirt bunches in all the wrong places.
Tim Sloan, AFP / Getty Images
Tags: first-Lady, Holy-Toledo, Inauguration, Inauguration-Day, Isabel-Toledo, michelle-obama, michelle-Obama-Style, Mrs.-O, The-Museum-at-FIT, Yellow-Coat, Yellow-Dress
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larag, 6-22-2009, 3:51PM
Isabel Toledo truly deserves this success. Savannah College of Art and Design just nominated her and her talented husband, Ruben with the Andre Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award. Claps and Congrats all around!!!
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