by Mary Tomer
The Women’s Conference
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2007
Pictured left to right: Jeri Thompson, Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama, Ann Romney, Elizabeth Edwards, and Maria Shriver.
AT THE WOMEN’S CONFERENCE IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, Maria Shriver—wife of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and accomplished television reporter—brought together presidential candidates’ spouses for a roundtable discussion. Five political spouses from both the Democratic and Republican parties participated: Cindy McCain, Jeri Thompson, Ann Romney, Elizabeth Edwards, and Michelle Obama.
Mrs. Obama, who spoke of her efforts to find a balance between family and political obligations, wore a houndstooth check sheath dress by Oscar de la Renta. The dress, from the designer’s Fall 2007 collection, featured an inset natural waist and hallmark de la Renta touches: texture and surface embellishment. A trim of black metallic cord and ball buttons accented the jewel collar neckline and short sleeves. It also ran in a vertical line down the front of the dress and encircled the waist. The resulting cross of trim created a geometric interest that played off the pattern of the check fabric.
Oscar de la Renta was born in the Dominican Republic; as an adult, he moved to the U.S. and became a fashion designer for Elizabeth Arden. He started his own line in 1965. Known for creating elegant clothes for an opulent world, Mr. de la Renta has long been a favorite of society women and past first ladies, including Jacqueline Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton, and Laura Bush. In 2009, the designer would criticize Michelle Obama for her fashion choices as first lady, later apologizing for his ill-chosen words. What most didn’t realize was that Michelle Obama had, in fact, worn Oscar de la Renta designs in the past, notably for this October 2007 event.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2008
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Columbia, SC
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IN SOUTH CAROLINA, the primary campaign battle had at times been fiercely fought. So Barack Obama’s decisive win that Saturday night helped pave his path to the White House. Former South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges called the dramatic margin of victory “a first-round knockout.”
When the Obamas took the stage for a victory celebration, they and the crowd of supporters were jubilant. “Tonight the cynics who believed that what began in the snows of Iowa was just an illusion were told a different story by the good people of South Carolina,” said Senator Obama.
The Obamas appeared color coordinated, with the ruby stripes of Barack Obama’s tie complementing Mrs. Obama’s dark raspberry tweed suit, implicitly sending a message that they were a team. The cut of Mrs. Obama’s jacket was form fitting and flirty, with its nipped-in waist and flared sleeves balanced by a matching pencil skirt. A cream blouse and a three-strand necklace of pearls completed her look.
The suit was made by Peter Soronen, a one-time Chicagoan who got his start in the fashion business by designing wedding dresses. This was the first significant public event where Mrs. Obama wore one of his creations. She had chosen the suit from the luxury Chicago boutique Ikram.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2008
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Chicago, IL
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TO WATCH THE RETURNS ON SUPER TUESDAY—the day when the greatest number of states conduct primary elections—the Obamas returned to Chicago. It was a hometown crowd of supporters, including designer Maria Pinto, who greeted them at a rally held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
For the occasion, Mrs. Obama wore another Pinto design: a red sheath dress of four-ply silk crepe with a matching waist-length jacket. The voluminous, elbow-length bell sleeves provided a romantic, almost Renaissance note to the otherwise minimalist lines of this outfit. While the dramatic sleeves were a temporary departure from Mrs. Obama’s love of clean, modern lines, certain elements of her trademark style could be discerned—notably, her choice of a figure-hugging sheath dress and bold color.
It was almost one year ago to the day that the Obamas had started the presidential campaign in Springfield, Illinois. And while the nomination was still in play, the atmosphere that night was one of a victorious homecoming. “It is good to be home,” said Barack Obama. “And it’s good to have Michelle home.” The reprieve from the campaign trail would be short, but that night it didn’t matter.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2008
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Providence, RI
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MICHELLE OBAMA WAS THE FEATURED SPEAKER for the launch event of the campaign group Rhode Island Women for Obama. For her appearance, she wore a dark pant suit with pinstripes by Alexander McQueen. The suit, which featured strikingly wide lapels and high-waisted pants, was part of McQueen’s Spring 2008 collection. Underneath the jacket, Mrs. Obama wore a scoop neck white top. An open-work flower brooch accented her lapel, bringing a touch of feminine charm and sparkle to the tailored outfit.
Born in England, Alexander McQueen began his work in fashion through an apprenticeship to a Savile Row tailor. It was there, making bespoke men’s suits, that McQueen honed his attention to fine detailing and richly defined finishing touches. After Savile Row, he worked for a theatrical costume company. He then traveled to Milan and worked for designer Romeo Gigli.
Returning to London, he attended Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, the city’s most prestigious fashion school, where he earned a master’s degree. Out of school, he quickly developed a reputation as an edgy designer who loved to shock his runway audiences. His designs, too, were rebellious and extremely dramatic; they often drew extensively on his past experiences on Savile Row and in theatrical costuming.
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“She operates on tastes and instincts, and doesn’t follow the crowd.”
WENDY DONAHUE, THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
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Not much has changed in 20 years, as the designer has built his successful namesake label. A prime example: when shown on the runway, the suit jacket worn by Michelle Obama was originally paired with coordinating hotpants. Mrs. Obama would again wear an Alexander McQueen piece—a tailored black jacket, trimmed with a scarlet ruffle—for the September 2008 cover of Ebony.
In Providence, Mrs. Obama spoke to the audience of the “amazing journey” the campaign was providing her. She mentioned, in particular, the chance to travel the country and listen to people who, otherwise, she would not have had the chance to meet.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2008
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San Juan, PR
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WITH HER HAIR SWEPT BACK IN A CHIGNON, Michelle Obama stepped off the plane in San Juan, Puerto Rico, dressed for both the occasion and the temperature. Once again, she chose fashions by Maria Pinto. Both her Rachel blouse and Talia skirt were made of cotton—the blouse in soft white and blue-gray stripes, and the skirt in a solid stone color.
The blouse featured a racer back design and origami-inspired ruffle at the neckline, created by small squares of material irregularly stacked and folded in a series. The simple lines of the pencil skirt helped showcase the dramatic collar of the blouse. A wide leather belt with laser cut detail completed Mrs. Obama’s look.
Maria Pinto Rachel blouse.
Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá and his wife Luisa greeted Mrs. Obama plane-side; they would serve as her hosts for the two-day visit. On her first day in Puerto Rico, they toured the San Jorge Children’s Hospital in San Juan, where Mrs. Obama spent time with young patients. The next day, they visited the Caguas Botanical Gardens, where a campaign event was held.
“We will continue to build a relationship of trust and respect, that only comes from interaction,” Mrs. Obama told a crowd of supporters. “And it’s with conversations, it’s with shared stories, it’s with hugs—it’s with all that stuff that builds relationship, that has very little to do with politics and has everything to do with interacting with people.”
Michelle Obama meets with a young patient at San Jorge Children’s Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2008
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Des Moines, IA
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ON A BALMY SPRING NIGHT, the Obamas celebrated a primary victory in Oregon by returning to Des Moines, Iowa. “There is a spirit that brought us here tonight, a spirit of change and hope and possibility,” said Senator Obama.
Mrs. Obama wore an olive green suit from Moschino’s Spring 2008 collection. The jacket featured a funnel neckline, elbow-length sleeves, and hidden placket. The skirt, with two inverted pleats on the front, had a slightly belled shape. Mrs. Obama added a belt from Erickson Beamon’s Techno Deco line that brought a spark of color to the ensemble, as well as a sheen that matched the suit’s luminous material. In August 2008, while she toured the stage at the beginning of the Democratic Party Convention, Mrs. Obama wore the jacket again—this time unbelted—over black pants. “That chartreuse tone that Mrs. Obama often wears has now become, for my team and myself, ‘Obama Green,’” Rossella Jardini, creative director for Moschino, later told Women’s Wear Daily.
Rossella Jardini was named the creative director of Moschino in 1994, following the death of her close friend Franco Moschino, the founder of the Moschino brand. Franco Moschino achieved international success for his outstanding creativity and artistic originality. By twisting irony and elegance in all of her collections, Rossella Jardini carries on Franco Moschino’s vision, reinterpreting the classics with the creativity that defines Moschino.
Olive green jacket and skirt from Moschino’s Spring 2008 collection.
Barack and Michelle Obama share a moment backstage at a campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa.
TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2008
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Primary Campaign Victory
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ON THIS NIGHT, Barack Obama claimed the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party. Although the convention was more than two months away, the celebration in St. Paul, Minnesota, felt like the beginning of the convention process.
For this historic evening, Michelle Obama wore a purple silk sheath dress by Maria Pinto. It was sleeveless and form-fitting, and featured a deep-V neckline. To accent the fit of the dress, Mrs. Obama paired the sheath with a wide, black patent leather belt by Azzedine Alaïa. Completing the look was a single strand pearl necklace by Carolee. “We started to notice Mrs. Obama wearing this bold pearl style and other Carolee styles, so we knew she was an honest to goodness Carolee customer,” said Karen O’Brien, vice president of worldwide marketing for Carolee. “Michelle Obama’s personal style is elegant and fashionable but rooted in timeless classics, of which pearls are the epitome,” she added.
The Alaïa belt had been a staple of Mrs. Obama’s wardrobe; when Vanity Fair named Michelle Obama to their 2007 Best-Dressed List, the Alaïa belt was mentioned as a favorite accessory. Adding a substantial belt to a minimalist silk dress was an inspired choice. “The combination of that dress with that belt was amazing,” said Sally Singer, of Vogue, in an interview with Chicago magazine. “Her clothes said that she was authoritative and appropriate, yet also very accessible and very refreshing.”
Certainly, the belted sheath, with its bold color and exquisite fit, captured the attention of the public. That night, a fashion star—for both the fashion industry and the press—was born.
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Q&A MARIA PINTO, FASHION DESIGNER
Maria Pinto, the Chicago-based designer, is known for her confident and sophisticated clothes, produced in clean lines and luxurious fabrics. Pinto, who studied fashion design at Chicago’s School of the Art Institute and then worked for the famed designer Geoffrey Beene, calls her look “Opulent Minimalism.” She is a master of bias cuts and elliptical seaming, creating body-skimming clothes that flatter many figures. Her fashion philosophy: “It’s not about how much you own, it’s about having a few pieces that make you look great.”
In 2004, a client told her that a friend would like to come and meet her—Michelle Obama—and the rest is fashion history.
Q: How did you start working with Michelle Obama?
A: She was referred to me by another client in 2004, shortly before her husband was sworn in as a U.S. senator. She said she needed some clothes for both her work and her social life.
Q: You did evening gowns and daywear for her beginning in 2004. Were there special considerations you kept in mind?
A: Not particularly. Like all of my clients, Michelle would shop from my collections, and she would choose items that worked for her needs.
Q: The sleeveless purple silk sheath dress Michelle Obama wore has become an icon. How do you feel about that?
A: Happy, of course. And I was surprised. I didn’t know she was going to wear it. I think that Michelle looks amazing in anything she wears, but she looks particularly spectacular in color. The purple sheath is a great dress because it is classic with modern seaming, and so it works for so many different body types.
Q: When she spoke on the first night at the Democratic National Convention, Mrs. Obama wore a teal dress of your design. Did you know she planned to wear it?
A: I had no idea she was going to be wearing the dress for her speech, so it was a quite a pleasant surprise! The dress was from my Fall 2008 collection; I simply chose a color that I knew she would look radiant in.
Q: Besides the purple sheath and the DNC dress, what are some of your favorite looks for her from your designs?
A: She wore the most exquisite midnight blue, high-necked halter dress with an open back to a fundraiser for the campaign at Oprah’s home in Santa Barbara. The dress was hand-embellished with ribbons and beading. At the neck were sculpted flowers made of the same cut ribbons and beads as the dress. She looked simply sensational!
Also another favorite pick I would make is the Paulette dress in scarlet wool crepe, with a three-quarter sleeve and sunburst pleating at the neck. She wore it for her first visit to the White House after election night.
Q: What sparked your early interest in fashion and design?
A: I was blessed to find my calling at a young age. I had my first subscription to Women’s Wear Daily at the age of 13. It really all began with my first sewing machine; I was making clothing for myself, which friends in turn started requesting for themselves. I even made my own prom dress from an old Halston pattern. From the beginning, I was very interested in the construction of clothes.
Scenes from inside Maria Pinto’s Chicago atelier.
Q: What designers have influenced you the most?
A: Certainly working in New York for the legendary Geoffrey Beene left a major impression on my work. I credit working for Geoffrey with helping me develop my super-high standards.
Q: What inspires your design process every season?
A: For me, my inspiration can come from anything. One season it was Richard Serra’s elliptical sculptures, which inspired me to do very sculptural clothes; another season it was the native costumes of Ethiopian tribes, which became all about textures and finishes and details. Once I have my inspiration for a season, I work at deconstructing it so that it isn’t too literal. But for me, it is truly about beautiful fabrics and textures. I think that is what my clients have come to expect from me: gorgeous fabrics and an impeccable fit.
Q: What do you think is a defining element of Michelle Obama’s style?
A: Her style is timeless. She possesses a natural sophistication. But what I love most is her brilliance and eloquence coupled by the grace and beauty of a dancer. Style aside, it is her wit and her intellect that will make her an extraordinary first lady.
TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2008
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Vogue & Calvin Klein Fundraiser
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DRESSING FOR A HIGH FASHION CROWD MIGHT INTIMIDATE SOME, but Michelle Obama exuded confidence at this cocktail party-cum-campaign fundraiser organized by Anna Wintour and André Leon Talley of Vogue. She made her entrance wearing a black, front-wrapped, cigar rolled, jersey tunic and palazzo pants designed by Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo. She added a statement necklace by Tom Binns and black open-toed patent leather high heels to the ensemble.
Co-hosted by communi
cations executive Shelby Bryan and fashion designer Calvin Klein, the sold-out New York City affair featured many well-known names in the world of fashion, including Isaac Mizrahi, Tory Burch, Zac Posen, and Cynthia Rowley.
Isabel Toledo and her fashion illustrator husband, Ruben Toledo, were also present at the event, but they later said they had no idea that Mrs. Obama would be wearing one of Toledo’s designs that night. “We almost fainted,” Mr. Toledo told Fashion Week Daily.
Isabel Toledo later told New York magazine of meeting Michelle Obama at the event: “I have to admit, I hugged her and thought, ‘Let me see… what size?’ She’s got an amazing torso and long, beautiful arms.” It was an impromptu measurement that would prove fruitful during the Inauguration.
As an accent to the all black ensemble, Mrs. Obama wore a dazzling, oversized necklace by Tom Binns. It featured a bib collar of rhinestones combined with an attenuated strand of rhinestones, faux pearls, and large sea glass “gems” in red and cobalt blue. The necklace was from Binns’s Nouveau Raj Collection, which he said was based on the ornately encrusted jewelry of the maharajas.
Tom Binns was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and resides in the United States. He concentrates on taking objets trouvés—found objects like beach glass and faux gems—and reworking them into stunning, singular pieces of jewelry. He started designing in the early 1980s, first collaborating with British punk artists. His primary influence is the Dada movement, an artistic and literary philosophy that started in Switzerland in 1916 as a reaction to World War I. Dadaists believed in anarchy and deliberate irrationality, and Binns incorporates that sensibility—or lack thereof—through the unexpected mix of his materials and the oversize scale of his work.
Mrs. Obama wore a different Binns necklace—made of faux pearls and diamante—at the first black tie dinner at the Obama White House, in February 2009, and another Binns necklace—also made of beach glass and faux gems—to the Kennedy Center in March 2009.
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“She is a woman who knows exactly who she is, who just exudes warmth and friendship.”
ANDRÉ LEON TALLEY, VOGUE
