WHAT’S HAPPENING:
Isabel Toledo and Jason Wu’s fashion businesses were given an enormous boost when new First Lady Michelle Obama, the second-most watched person on the inaugural podium, chose them for the two key occasions on her husband’s big day.
As she watched husband Barack Obama being sworn in, she wore a lemongrass lace shift dress and edge-to-edge coat by Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo. Later in the day, (at one of the rumored 10 inauguration balls the new president attended), Michelle Obama wore a chiffon rosette-appliquéd and Swarovski-beaded white one-shoulder ball gown by 26-year-old Taiwanese-American Jason Wu, a designer little known outside fashion circles until now.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS:
As the youngest First Lady since Jackie Kennedy, Mrs. Obama’s influence on fashions can’t be overlooked. Obviously, these two designers have become instantly popular and demand for their lines has skyrocketed. Expect them to garner much more attention at the next Fashion Week and upcoming runway events. On a broader scale, this could be an early indication that our First Lady isn’t afraid to break with traditional, established names to seek out lesser known designers who appeal to her personal sense of style. Those in the fashion industry will have to stay on their toes to ensure they’re not caught off guard by her next surprising choice.
