Style

Michelle Obama's Fashion Troubles

by Fasshonaburu | January 23, 2009 at 11:49 am

534 views | 16 Recommendations | 6 comments

Although she received mostly praise for her fashion choices over the past week, Michelle Obama had no supporters at the Black Artists Association. In fact, they are quite upset with the First Lady for not wearing clothes by African-American designers. BAA Co-founder and previous runway model, Amnau Eele, told WWD, "It’s fine and good if you want to be all ‘Kumbaya’ and ‘We Are the World’ by representing all different countries. But if you are going to have Isabel Toledo do the inauguration dress, and Jason Wu do the evening gown, why not have Kevan Hall, B Michael, Stephen Burrows or any of the other black designers do something too?" She added, "It’s one thing to look at the world without color but she had seven slots to wear designer clothes. Why wasn’t she wearing the clothes of a black designer? That was our moment." Eele plans to make a formal appeal to Michelle's office.

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Geneva B

at 14:58 on January 23rd, 2009

I think it's a little sad for people to immediately start calling out accusations of this nature; we should all be proud of the crossing of colour lines the Obama family represents, not calling them out on their clothing choices. There are talented designer of every nationality and Mrs. Obama is a grown woman entitled to make her own choice!

coco rose

at 20:56 on January 23rd, 2009

coco rose has contributed a photo to this story.

Michelle Obama will be in the public eye for at least four years if not eight.....not since Princess Diana has a politically public woman had so many eyes on her.... There will be so many opportunities to showcase designers and I feel sad that she has to be criticized for her choices so early in her journey as first lady.

With the state of the US today she should have support, not criticism.

Ed K (not verified)

at 17:02 on January 23rd, 2009

While a designer like Kevan Hall or Tracy Reese would have been an excellent choice i still have no problem with what our first lady chose to wear. I was really hoping for Tracy Reese though to have something showcased by the first lady but i'm sure all of these designers will get a chance to dress the first lady at one time during this adminstration. Again a big congratulations to Isabel Toledo and Jason Wu

Amy Judd

at 17:13 on January 23rd, 2009

Well you can't please everyone all the time I suppose. I believe, when it comes to fashion, that you should dress comfortable and in something that makes you feel good and that's obviously what she did.

Mary Richard

at 17:53 on January 23rd, 2009

I think she's way out of line, to say something like that. I saw both interviews (Jason Wu, Isabel Toledo) - they had no idea their designs were chosen by Michelle, until they saw her on TV. They had submitted their designs to her, without knowing if they'd be chosen or not. Did the black designers Eele speaks of submit their designs?

Sometimes people should listen to what their parents taught them ... "If you've nothing good to say, then say nothing at all."