Melania Trump lived a fantasy lifestyle. The Slovenian model, whose career was looking down, met an older millionaire at a party who eventually convinced her to go out with him. They were soon married and lived a reclusive but luxurious lifestyle. Trump got pregnant, had a child, designed a jewelry line for QVC, and lived her life in her Trump Tower penthouse. She had taken a step back from the spotlight when suddenly her husband, Donald Trump, decided to run for President of the United States.
As you all know, he won.
Now Melania Trump is pushed back into the spotlight as First Lady of the United States.
Needless to say, her every move is being watched and therefore every item she puts on her body is being judged. While as a model Trump must have been used to judgment based on her personal style, it’s at a whole new level now that her husband is the president.
Trump has a signature style. She’s frequently seen in clean cut clothes free of patterns. She clearly favors Louboutin stilettos. Overall her style seems to be classic and clean cut.
For her husband's inauguration, Trump wore a pale blue Ralph Lauren suit that was reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy’s inaugural outfit in 1961. Trump has stated repeatedly that she looks up to Kennedy and hopes to mirror her as a First Lady. She helped design her own gown along with Hervé Pierre (former creative director for Carolina Herrera) for the inaugural ball. She initially stuck to mostly American designers during her first week as First Lady, something that Michelle Obama tried to do throughout her tenure.
Designers don’t love Trump or the controversy she comes with. Designers like Tom Ford and Marc Jacobs have said they won’t dress the newly-minted First Lady. Others like Vera Wang, Cynthia Rowley, and Naeem Khan are unsure how they feel about dressing Trump. Designers like Carolina Herrera, Rag & Bone, Tommy Hilfiger, and Diane von Furstenberg have stated that they are for dressing Trump, however, this support doesn’t always tie to political support. Diane von Furstenberg stated that she believes that Trump deserves the respect of any other First Lady.
The controversy not only lies in who’s willing to dress Trump but also who Trump chooses to wear. With her husband Donald’s America-first policies, many feel as though Melania should emulate this policy through her clothing choices. Recently she wore a custom-made suit by French designer Karl Lagerfeld. This was one of the first times Trump has worn a European designer since the inauguration.
My question isn’t if Melania should be wearing only American designers but why does it matter? The Trumps aren’t a traditional first family. Melania was previously a model who wore various designers due to her job. The way that you approach your personal style is determined by your past, who you are, and your lifestyle today. This is true of everyone in the public eye, especially Trump. While her fame and position make what she wears noteworthy, where her clothes come from is not the most noteworthy part of her wardrobe.
