by Mary Tomer
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Q&A JENNA LYONS, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Jenna Lyons is a 19-year veteran of J.Crew, rising through the ranks from men’s knitwear to creative director. She works from a sun-drenched office in a building high above lower Broadway, the walls decorated with a collage of tears from magazines and photographs. She is as remarkably stylish as she is down-to-earth, qualities reflected in the all-American brand that she has helped to shape.
Q: How did you start out at J.Crew?
A: When I graduated from Parsons, I was offered a job at J.Crew in men’s knits. I was so excited, I took the job without even asking the salary. It was fun for me to be able to work on clothes that most people in America could buy. I would tell someone where I worked, “J.Crew,” and most people would say, “Oh yeah, I wear that brand.” It’s been nice to be a part of something that has changed, grown up so much, and that’s so much the fabric of so many peoples’ lives.
Q: What do you love about what you do?
A: Every season is new. Every season we have a different color palette, and we’re looking at new inspiration. I love when the shows happen. I love poring through magazines. I love looking at prints and fabrics. I actually still really love it. It never gets old. I’m constantly excited about what’s next.
Q: What was it like to see Michelle Obama wearing J.Crew on The Tonight Show?
A: I was watching. I remember when she came out on stage, and then when she said her outfit was J.Crew. I seriously almost took my husband’s eye out. I was like, “Wake up! Wake up! Look!” I was texting [J.Crew chairman and CEO] Millard “Mickey” Drexler. The whole company was aflutter. It was hysterical. It was very exciting.
It’s also nice to see your clothes worn through someone else’s eyes, especially someone who puts them together beautifully. I wouldn’t put that combination together, not because I don’t like it, but because you do your own thing, you create things in your own way, and make them your own.
Q: Michelle Obama wore a pair of J.Crew gloves for Barack Obama’s oath of office. What was your reaction?
A: We were going crazy. People were like, “Those are our gloves!” and “I touched those gloves—and now they’re on the Lincoln Bible!”
Q: Thoughts on the color mix?
A: Something I’ve always loved about Michelle Obama’s style is her sense of color—if you look at her color combinations, she figures out how to do these sort of avocado, citrus colors—she does color so well and totally understands how to do it for her skin tone. There’s always a play and subtle shift in color, which is fun for us because it’s sort of what we do too.
Q: What kind of response have you seen as a result of the first lady wearing J.Crew?
A: Our customers feel connected. People feel like, “Wow, she’s just like me. I own something from J.Crew. I can get that catalogue, and I can get something from there too.” And that is an instant connector, an instant way to say, “I’m just like you. I have to do all the things you have to do. I have to get my kids ready for school. I don’t have a lot of time. I don’t want to spend a million dollars.” People were really touched by that, and able to relate on so many levels.
Q: What do you make of the attention on Michelle Obama’s style?
A: Fashion in and of itself can feel vacant to some people. People can feel like it’s something you shouldn’t focus on or that it’s not important. And you can debate that all day long. But I think part of the reason that people have been so focused on Michelle Obama is because she is so much more than that. And it somehow feels good to support her and to feel excited about her clothes as well, on top of that, because it’s just one more way to give her accolade.
J.Crew’s Italian Deco Tank, worn by Michelle Obama on The Tonight Show.
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2008, 8 AM
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Election Day Chicago, IL
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ON AN UNSEASONABLY BALMY NOVEMBER MORNING, the Obamas turned casting their votes into a family affair. They arrived at their regular polling place—Shoesmith Elementary School in their Hyde Park-Kenwood neighborhood—accompanied by their two daughters. Mrs. Obama kept things simple, wearing a black scoop-neck T-shirt, black jeans, and a black cardigan sweater. She wore a black patent leather belt over the sweater. Her hair was swept back off her face with a black headband and was secured in a low ponytail. She also wore her two favorite layered necklaces: a tiny diamond peace symbol by Lena Wald and a Hope tag. The peace symbol necklace had been bought for Mrs. Obama by a friend at Trabert & Hoeffer Jewels in Chicago.
It was a look immediately recognizable to busy women everywhere: a low-key yet pulled together outfit in easy-to-wear black, plus a favorite accessory or two for a glimmer of polish and, in this case, good luck.
Lena Wald white gold and diamond peace sign necklace.
Blue Moon Beads Hope charm.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2008 10 PM
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Election Night Chicago, IL
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STARTING IN THE AFTERNOON, people began filling Grant Park for the post-election rally. Only 60,000 tickets were available to campaign workers and donors to join in the roped-off Hutchinson Field section of Grant Park, but tens of thousands more people filled in the rest of the lakefront park. Others stayed on nearby Michigan Avenue—always busy with shoppers, tourists, and urban residents—to listen to the event via loudspeakers. The night was unseasonably warm, even so close to Lake Michigan, and the mood was one of harmony, expectation, and fun.
In Grant Park, giant video screens broadcast a live news feed throughout the evening. And when the words “Breaking News” appeared on the Jumbotrons, an exuberant cheer filled the air. Next came the words “Barack Obama Elected President,” and there was joyous pandemonium: shouting, hugging, jumping, and crying—all at once.
In their first appearance on election night, all four of the Obamas stepped out onto the Grant Park stage in a color-coordinated array of red and black fashion. The celebratory event was truly an occasion that warranted the coordinated effort to showcase the Obamas not merely as potential victors, but as the country’s incoming first family.
Michelle Obama’s dress choice—a black and red design from Narciso Rodriguez’s Spring 2009 collection—was eye-catching and richly detailed. The black satin dress is sleeveless and form-fitting. A spray of red embroidery adorns the front of the dress, fading to an ombré effect. Black satin bands crisscross the waist, enhancing the hourglass figure appearance.
One of the most critically acclaimed dresses of New York Fashion Week, the dress was modified for Mrs. Obama: the neckline—a low V on the runway—was raised, and the hemline—very short and partially transparent on the runway—was lowered and lined.
Jimmy Choo Jade pump.
Loree Rodkin Triple Constellation diamond earrings.
Mrs. Obama wore a cashmere cardigan by Azzedine Alaïa over the dress. For accessories, she chose Loree Rodkin’s Triple Constellation earrings and diamond bangle bracelets. She also wore Jimmy Choo Jade pumps in black, which featured a low kitten heel.
Michelle Obama’s style choices for the evening proved to be a harbinger of the future. While she had worn designs by Narciso Rodriguez on several high profile occasions during the campaign, she would continue—after this night—to choose Rodriguez with even more regularity once she became first lady. All of the designers Mrs. Obama wore on this most significant night were selected through the Chicago boutique Ikram.
The world didn’t realize it then, but Mrs. Obama had made a major statement about her future fashion choices: she was ready to take chances with fashion-forward designers; she was ready to mix up her style; and she was dressing, ultimately, to please herself. In that regard, the evening was not just a victory celebration, but a declaration of fashion independence.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2008
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Chicago, IL
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FOR THEIR FIRST PRIVATE DINNER OUT AFTER THE ELECTION, t
he Obamas returned to familiar territory: Spiaggia, the tony northern Italian restaurant on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The couple had celebrated both Valentine’s Day and their wedding anniversary there in 2008.
Mrs. Obama braved the chill with a black Sonia Rykiel coat, from the French label’s Fall 2008 collection. The coat has a swing cut and bracelet-length flared sleeves. (She would wear this coat again during the week of the inauguration festivities.) From underneath the jacket peeked a black pleated skirt, an Isabel Toledo design. With her hair pulled back into a chignon, Mrs. Obama accessorized with large statement earrings and a black Lanvin handbag.
The legendary Sonia Rykiel, “Queen of Knits,” said of the black wool coat: “My process is a continuous story about the Rykiel woman and how she can build a wardrobe. Every season has a different theme but always works with items from previous seasons. This unique shaped coat is very cozy and easy to wear.”
The Obamas entered the restaurant to the cheers of onlookers on Michigan Avenue. From the high vantage point of their table at Spiaggia, which translates to “beach” or “shore,” the couple had a view of the glittering skyline of Chicago stretched out before them.
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“What an inspiration to see this smart, beautiful woman who plays with color, print, and shape yet always looks appropriate for every appearance.”
SONIA RYKIEL
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Black wool swing coat by Sonia Rykiel.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2008
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White House Visit Washington, D.C.
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THE FIRST STEP IN THE TRANSITION OF POWER from George W. Bush to Barack Obama, from president 43 to incoming 44, was a White House visit between the Bushes and the Obamas. President and Mrs. Bush met the Obamas at the driveway on the South Lawn; a few moments later, the couples entered the White House. Mr. Bush gave Mr. Obama his first look at the Oval Office, while Mrs. Bush took Mrs. Obama on a tour of the first family residence on the second and third floors.
For this first meeting between the outgoing and incoming first ladies, Mrs. Obama wore a scarlet red wool crepe dress by Maria Pinto. The design is Pinto’s Paulette II, with an empire waist, long sleeves and a layered, inward pleating detail at the neckline.
“What was great about that dress was that it was such a bold statement,” said Cheryl Tan, former fashion writer for the Wall Street Journal. “The choice of that dress really said, ‘I’m not a shrinking violet. I’m a dynamic person, and I’m going to be a dynamic first lady.’ It sent a signal.”
Wool crepe dress by Maria Pinto.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2008
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Barbara Walters Special
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IN ONE OF HER FIRST FORMAL, post-election television interviews, Mrs. Obama wore an eye-catching sleeveless dress in ivory raw silk. The sheath dress had princess seaming and black piping around its jewel neckline and armholes. At first glance, what might have appeared to be a printed fabric, was in fact the effect created by several hundred hand embroidered rosettes made of French knots. The dress was the work of Jason Wu, number 17 from his Spring 2009 collection. “I just thought it would be a nice, new way to do a print,” said Jason Wu of the embroidery. “It looks like a print, and there’s something geometric about it, but up close there are all of these beautiful, irregular little knots that I thought were so pretty.”
The dress had been ordered from Wu by Chicago boutique owner Ikram Goldman, who had only told Wu that it was for “a special customer.” The young, Taipei-born designer acknowledged to the Wall Street Journal blog “Heard on the Runway” that this might be a “career-launching moment” for him. His words turned out to be prophetic, for Mrs. Obama would end up wearing a Jason Wu gown for the Inaugural Ball.
At this time, Wu might not have been a household name, but he was already an established rising star in the fashion world. Having launched his first line in 2006, Wu had been named as a finalist for the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize, and his clothes were starting to appear in Neiman Marcus and smaller, cutting-edge boutiques across the country. His designs were already garnering a reputation for their exceptional finishes. For example, the hand embroidery on this dress took 100 hours of labor in Wu’s New York studio.
To accent the dress, Mrs. Obama wore a black and platinum bow pin at the neckline, pinned at a jaunty angle that added a playful finishing touch.
CHAPTER V THE INAUGURATION
First Lady of Fashion
For a brief few days in January, the chill of winter seemed to subside, the worry of the mounting recession seemed to fade, and for supporters of the soon-to-be president and first lady of the United States, a spirit of celebration and new beginning took hold.
The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States would be a remarkable milestone in history, celebrated through the streets of Washington and projected across all possible media around the world. Faithfully by his side throughout the experience would be the bright, poised, gracious Michelle Obama—an inspiration in her own right.
Mrs. Obama’s inaugural wardrobe—a thoughtfully planned, adeptly executed mix of ensembles from her favorite American designers—would speak a language of its own. In the most authentic of ways, her clothes would range from “grown up” suits befit for her new role as first lady, to a youthful, romantic gown that channeled the fresh promise of the new administration; from a bold, graphic palette that communicated strength, to a lemongrass color that signaled an optimistic mood. Her clothes were setting the tone for the path she would carve as first lady.
The outfits chosen came from a unique range of designers, who would soon be referred to as the “New Guard” of American fashion. Though often differing in style and aesthetic, there were similarities to be found: all independent thinkers who value the craftsmanship and artistry of fashion.
The most highly anticipated ensembles were the daytime and evening looks on Inauguration Day, speculated on and prophesized by the fashion community and American public alike for weeks leading up to the inauguration. The fervor had grown so great that when President Obama introduced his wife, dressed in a white chiffon gown by Jason Wu, at the Neighborhood Ball, he would tell the crowd: “I have the special honor of being the guy who accompanied Michelle Obama to the ball.”
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2009
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Whistle Stop Tour
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AS THE INAUGURATION NEARED, the country waited with eager anticipation for the Obamas’ official arrival in Washington. More than two months had passed since the historic night in November, with the incoming first family seen only a handful of times since.
Like Abraham Lincoln had a century and a half before him, Barack Obama made plans for a grand entrance into Washington—by train. The “whistle-stop” tour would depart from Philadelphia, making stops in Wilmington and Baltimore before finally arriving in Washington, D.C., that same evening.
On the morning of January 17, a crowd convened in the North Waiting Room of the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Mrs. Obama was smartly dressed in a tailored purple jacket and cashmere rollneck top by Zero + Maria Cornejo, paired with fitted black pants and black suede boots. She watched over her two young daughters as Barack Obama took the stage. “We are here to mark the beginning of our journey to Washington,” he spoke to the crowd. “This is fitting because it was here, in this city, that our American journey began. It was here that a group of farmers and lawyers, merchants and soldiers, gathered to declare their independence and lay claim to a destiny that they were being denied.”
As the train prepared to pull out of Philadelphia, the Obamas were joined by the Bidens, extended family, friends, and press—spirits high and the atmosphere festive. For outerwear, Mrs. Obama dressed in a black wool swing coat with cropped bell sleeves and an exaggerated collar by designer Sonia Rykiel. Though most of Mrs. Obama’s inaugural trousseau would consist of custom pieces by American designers, this particular coat origina
ted from the French designer’s Fall 2008 collection, and had been seen once before, when Mrs. Obama joined her husband for a night out in Chicago a few days after the election. Purple leather gloves and a waffle knit scarf accented the look.
En route to Washington, the group found another reason to celebrate—Michelle Obama’s 45th birthday happened to fall on the same day. As a surprise for their mom, Malia and Sasha Obama decorated the children’s train car with brightly colored “Happy Birthday” banners—an iced sheet cake waiting in the wings.
After a long day, the train pulled into Washington at dusk—the Obamas had officially arrived in Washington.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2009
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Arlington National Cemetery
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ON THE MORNING OF JANUARY 18, President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden crossed the Potomac to visit Arlington National Cemetery. There, they paid respects at the Tomb of the Unknowns, laying a wreath at the gravesite. Michelle Obama and Jill Biden stood watching in the background, each with her right hand over her heart.
Mrs. Obama wore a custom-made, long lavender wool coat by Narciso Rodriguez, which featured distinctive inset seam detailing at the sides and waistline. Narciso Rodriguez, a designer known for his inset and cut-out detail work, said, “Because I think and design in positive and negative shapes, they [insets and cut-outs] often become part of the design or a way for me to create a shape or fit to the body.” A coordinating lilac scarf and purple leather gloves kept Mrs. Obama warm in the cold January weather.
Afterward, the Obamas, joined by Michelle’s mother, Marian Robinson, and daughters Malia and Sasha, attended a church service at Washington, D.C.’s 19th Street Baptist Church. Underneath her coat, Mrs. Obama wore a Narciso Rodriguez dress in plum silk and wool. She would later wear the same dress when President Obama addressed a Joint Session of Congress in February.
