Michelle Obama's Official White House Photo.
The following article was originally posted on 21st January 2009.
26 year old Jason Wu was right: "Michelle is a powerful & energetic woman" so the one-shoulder ball gown design was on point. Designs that emphasize the clavicle & arms are a great. White though not my first choice worked on her because in retrospect, red & blue seem to be the staple for outfits. The length presented a challenge for her: walking and dancing. The lemongrass Isabel Toledo suit also worked for that reason. The white fabric though rich and beautiful live, did not transfer well on television. It seemed theatrical. The lemongrass fabric did work, it was luxurious and just fun to look at. It was a very cold day so the fabric kept her warm. This was a source of gratitude for those who attended the parade, it made the 2nd Pen. Ave. walk possible. The wind threatened the outfit and her hair at times. Her gloves were great, very regal. Her shoes were okay, simple and comfortable. The height was appropriate considering she'd be doing a lot of walking. All in all it went well.
Every high profile personality needs a stylist. A stylist is a mediator. One that stands in between a designer's well meaning persuasiveness and one's personal, but potential faux pas. It's like an artsy/ scientific (photographic / video/ weather auditions) job. Every little detail counts, but the end result must look like very little effort was put into the job. A delicate balance to strike but well worth it.
A good stylist will shoot an outfit wedding dress /other on HD, watch and assess how it translates on the tube. I would also take photographs with natural AND artificial light just to see how that also transfers. The weather: temperature, wind & sunlight conditions affect how even a 'live - tailored' outfit feels and looks. Comfort is key too. In her case walking, dancing and even the need to be able to rest in an outfit for 15minutes between events without undressing completely would be key. She has a very practical and understated personality- in other words not too flashy. Many think this makes a client easy to style. Not true; especially when dealing with a high profile personality. The key is to LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN, then NEGOTIATE, NEGOTIATE, NEGOTIATE. If not, after you feel like you've done your job, on D-day the client will simply dump THE OUTFIT and pick out what they wore on their graduation day. Yes this has happened many times over. Guess what, by this time everyone already knows you as their stylist, and because of confidentiality & sheer decency you simply cannot deny being a part of what may be a dreadful choice.
After multiple face to face consultations, I have proceeded with mere email confirmations of choice from clients. They must never be made to feel like they are "disappointing" you. It is after all THEIR day. When dealing with an academic like Michelle, everything must be on paper: A detailed map/table of the pros & cons and what the options are theoretically and practically. This is overwhelming for the stylist as every top designer will be vying to make the cut so multiple submission will be FED-EXed. Personally bringing every dress will overwhelm a client. Any tryouts must be done AFTER the initial interview. This makes for a more organized and productive consult.
Finally A CAST: Any busy client must consider having a cast made and stored with their stylist. If kept on the roll it means that the stylist is ALWAYS thinking of that client. If I am aware of your month/year long schedule of events, it means i am always working for you. It also means that because not every single outfit can be tailored, at the very least, it looks and feels fitted. All in all Michelle did a good job. I suspect on her own. If she made her choices independently (i.e. no stylist), I think she did A VERY good job considering the political and economic factors at hand. Her girls looked FANTASTIC.
Congratulations Michelle I wish you the very best of luck. xxx
Why Do You Need a Stylist?
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