So many choices yet, so little time. With the biggest event of 2009 happening next month, Michelle Obama has a tough decision to make before she evens moves to the White House – what will she wear at the historical Inaugural ball? (President elect Barack Obama already made his…he’ll be wearing a Hart Schaffner Marx tuxedo).
Her decision maybe a bit harder since designers from left to right have been sketching up ideas for the future first lady. Everyone from Marc Jacobs, Oscar De La Renta, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Chanel have presented WWD.com with their gown ideas. Check out a couple of the sketches and take your pick for Mrs. Obama…what do you think she should wear?
She will be the flyest 1st lady EVER!!! GO Michelle!!!
The ocsar de la renta and Monike ones are pretty she going to look fierse either way! Work it first lady
She would look fierce in the red one!!
Lol @ Betsey Johnson. That’s her personality tho.
I like Nicole Miller’s design w/ the purple and I like Diane von Whatevers design too.
Monique Luhlier is my fav tho.
The red or lime green one are the cutest on this page but on WWD.com there are cuter ones
I also like the Michael Kors and Badgley Mischka. But she should wear a bright, vibrant red!
I also like the BM and the Michael Kors!
Sorry I didn’t think my comment posted the first time.
Uh hello. Where is house of dereon? We all know that house of dereon dresses make true statements. Where is tina when u need her
Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs or Chanel ….
Wow, I’m torn between Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera (not Caroline).
Props to Oscar de la Renta for including the girls in his sketches. I am disappointed in Tracy Reese’s design.
Definitely the black Chanel dress..classic and regal just like the Michelle.
She should contact Barack’s family in Kenya and have an African designer sketch her gown with cultural significance. After all…its only a dress for one night that someone will make a fortune off of. May as well give someone new a break and deflect all the fashion attention away from Euro ‘ish!
Nice, but I love the Betsey Johnson (not those exact colors), and Badley Mischka.
Christian-Michael-Monique……The fiercest ones.
I’m dissapointed that theres no Alexander Mcqueen. He’s the king of Haute.
I love Tracey Reese, but i dont like this particular dress.
@ #13 Meat, that would be a good idea but then all the pundits and other people will question her patriotism again.
@ Meat
My mother thinks the same thing. She wants her to be in african dress so bad it’s beyond obsession.
I’m going to pray on this one. Too many for me to decide…so I’m going to wait and see what Aunt Michelle picks. lol. Some of them are No’s …spell on backwards.
~1505
OMG SOO MANY TOOO CHOOSE FROM…WOOWOWOWOWOW
I LOVE ALLL OF THEM.
SHE SHOULD CHANGE EVERY 5MINS ! LMAO
On second thought, I love the Monique Lhuillier dress for the occasion.
@ # 13 (Meat) – I have to disagree. The last thing Michelle needs to do is show up in something reminiscent of kente cloth. I do, however, agree with your suggestion of her giving a new designer a chance to showcase their work (much like Halle did at the Oscars). But then again, after viewing all 40 sketches, the competition is stiff and may be too much for a newbie. In the end, I’m sure she’ll make the right choice.
Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, Diana Von, Tracy Reese, and Michael Kors
These are the nicest ones on here!!
Here’s the breakdown!!
CHRISTIAN LACROIX 1 : She’s the future lady, not a drag queen
CHRISTIAN LACROIX 2: The sketches are more realistic given the fact that the inauguration will be held outside, and she sure won’t be freezing her ass out in the cold. Adore the knee lenght blue coat with the accent of fur on the arms and collar.
BETSEY JOHNSON: Do not hate!!! It’s betsey and that’s what she does.
ZAC POSEN: Zac has more of a youthful vibe. Hence Rihanna always wearing his designs. Maybe for the girls but not suitable for the future first lady.
RACHEL ROY: Rachel has great individual pieces, but lacks fullgown experience.
NICOLE MILLER: Love Nicole Miller and love the dress and will probably be the chosen one, given the garment history of michelle. She loves colours and simplicity.
RODARTE: The house just had an amazing s/s 09 line and this sketch is wonderful. I would love for michelle and the girls to walk down in matching dresses. How cute!!!
TRACY REESE: The dress looks like it’s from a cheap department/retail store.
Whatever she wears I’m sure whe will look good…. I also thought she had her gown sewn by an African American woman… could be wrong…
MICHAEL KORS!!!!!!!!!!
OMG!!!!! They are all wonderful… My favs are Diane Von Furstengurg and Nicole Miller and altough I know it’s not Mchelle’s style I love the Badgley Miscka…….. LMAO @ Betsy Johnson….. Now girl you know Michelle Obama ain’t about to wear Betsy Johnson NO WHERE
One more thing…simple looks good on michelle so I took a second look at Michael Kors and that’s beautiful too. So that or Chanel no doubt.
i like all of them except…..betsey johnson, zac posen, and marc jacobs.
My favorite is the Monique Lhullier
1rst Chanel all the way first (very elegant. fit for a queen/princess ball)
2nd Nicole Miller
3rd Michael Kors
i love anything my girl Bestey does, but her dress is just a little over there top. i like the de la renta 1, mainly b/c he thought of michelle and especially the girls!!!
Whoever sketched the Oscar De La Renta (not the dress but the images) definitely has some talent! Its looks just like her and the kids!!
But my vote goes to Micheal Kors
@ 9 House of Dereon! Are you kidding me?! I hope you are…..I say Christian Lacroix #2, Badgley, Michael Kors or Carolina Herrera with the Monique Lhuiller color. The others maybe for another event.
I like the Marc Jacobs and a few of the others too.
No matter what she wears, she will look great. Her tall beautiful figure will compliment any of these designs.
However, I would like to see a new designer get the opportunity to “come up”.
My picks are : Diane Von Furstenberg & Monique L’Huilier
BTW I know that Betsy is joking
Cosign #30, if you coould win by the sketch Oscar de la Renta has it!
#1, Oscar de la Renta
#2, Christian Lacroix, they all look warm, you know its gonna be cold as hell michelle!
Monique L’hlullier ( she designed my wedding dress)
Nicole Miller
Oscar de la Renta
those are my 3 choices, michelle obama is so classy and not too over the top. i think those 3 dresses would be one of her choice.. or at least what she should wear.
There’s too many to choose from but I like Michelle in reds and purple. Whateva she chooses I know she will look good.
Betsey Johnson needs to sit her “ecentric” tale down.
I love Oscar because he included the girls.
My fav is that Monique Lhuieller dress (sp?) Michelle’s pretty choco skin and her height will carry that off… EXCELLENT!!!
Wow those designs are amazing she got a hard decison to make, but whatever she chooses she’ll look amazing.
I like Christian Lacroix, Chanel and Nicole Miller…oh and i like Oscar de la renta but i think it looks a bit too simple.
My Favorites are: Christian Lacroix, Monique Lhuiller, Diane Von Furstenburg, Rodarte, Michael Kors.
I want to see a sketch from John Paul Gaultier.
I LIKE THE DRESS BY CHANEL, tRACY, NICOLE,MICHEAL, AND MONIQUE! THEY ARE SOO CUTE!
That Zac pozen dress is not cute at all
Marc Jacobs or Oscar de la Renta
Definetly Chanel or Oscar de la Renta. D@mn I wish that was me instead!
loving th monique lui dress. I think its so elegant and regal.
I am feeling only 2 of these…The Chanel and the Badgley Mischka. To me they are the most elegant and will be the most flattering. Betsey Johnson needs to hang it up with that clown outfit!
@ #20. (Big M) – I’m sure that there are African designers who understand the subtilties of American/Euro frail. “Kente cloth” is only a fragment of the fashion choices in Kenya and Nigeria. Let’s face it…America voted for CHANGE, but so far, all we’ve gotten is more of the Clintons and Kennedy’s! Real change should spur fashion markets throughout the world rather than just China, Japan and Italy.
Where’s the BOLD change? The designers who have set the standards, have also manipulated it! After all, the clothes don’t make the woman, the woman makes the clothes. Who said the Obama’s have to be transparent when it comes to culture? Why can’t they embrace the love of Africa the way that past first families have embraced St. Patrick, cornbeef and kilts?
Okay, I give up…you’re correct! America is: Chanel, Marc Jacob, Nike, Disney, Sony, Wal Mart, Timberlakes, Sean John, Rocawear, Baby Phat, Bud and Coors…CNN, NBC, Microsoft, Guess, Louis Vuitton, Polo, Cambridge, Levi and Oscar De La Renta. All of our heros.
That Oscar De La Renta is FIERCE!
Michelle aint wearing none of them designs. She gonna go left and wear somebody that we least expect.
Truth be told it doesn’t even matter as long as she looks good, which I’m sure she will!!!
Mrs. Obama is so so beautiful, yet so classy and conservative. Most of the dresses are nice, but I think the sketches by Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors and Nicole Miller would say it all. “I am a still a classy sister!!”
No matter what she wears, I’m sure she’ll look fly!!!
MICHELLE, PLEASE DON’T WEAR THAT S*&T BETSEY PUT TOGETHER! Important historical event like this, and Betsey wants her to look like a dayum clown!
My favorite is a tie b/w the Monique Lhillier gown and the Diane Von Furstenburg. Close third is Michael Kors. If she is feeling Couture, she should definitely do the Christian Lacroix! Either way, the First Lady is going to be fierce!
i am certain whatever she chooses she will be absolutely stunning. as for the designs i sorta like them all.
This is a dress overload, I like Marc Jacobs and possibly Rachel Roy dress. The other dresses are way over the top!
My take, is that she will go timeless, but elegant. Which is that of either, Oscar, Chanel, Herrera or even Badgley Miscka. Lacroix is too “diva”, Jacobs and Von Furstenberg are too dynamic enough and Zac Posen is too about the design of the DRESS and couture-Michelle will get lost in that look. Kors, Monique and Tahari are more fitting for Oscars’. Rachel Roy’s is nice, but more fitting for stiff, socialite cocktail parties. Tracey’s piece would be a great choice for Michelle too, plus with her being an upcomiing black designer, this would put her on the map the way Rachel Roy did on Oprah.
I’m sure Michelle will still look fabulous, and I can’t wait! *
@47, I feel you, but I will clutch my pearls and gasp for air if I see Michelle in cornrows and kente garb.
I think she should so go with the Oscar De La Renta that seems more her style plus the gown is just beautiful and that Chanel one should be in the run because it is also beautiful.
I love the oscar de la renta 1 hands down! I’m feelin the michael kors, chanel, and rachel roy….simple but makes a statement!
Oh yeah, she can wear that Nicole Miller get-up at her eldest daughter’s (Maliah) wedding.