That's the gist of this article in today's Women's Wear Daily where household name designers like Oscar de la Renta, Donna Karan and Vera Wang express their opinion about First Lady Michelle Obama largely avoiding major designer names with the exception of Michael Kors:
Like the auto and financial industries, fashion is in crisis. Yet the
person in the administration best positioned to support its major
players — those whose collective vicissitudes play into the economy in
a considerable way and whose individual swings of fortune impact the
lives of countless working people up and down the supply chain and
their families — is giving them the cold shoulder. And we don’t mean
Donna Karan’s. No one’s asking for a big-gun bailout, Mrs. O (at least
not yet). But how about a shout-out?
Oscar de la Renta is especially not thrilled:
“American fashion right now is struggling. I
think I understand what [Obama and her advisers] are doing, but I don’t
think that is the right message at this particular point….I don’t
object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever
because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But
there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it’s wrong to go
in one direction only.”
And her Buckingham Palace outfit? Not happy:
He suggests that, designer or otherwise, Obama would
benefit from expanding her current range of fashion advisers,
particularly on matters of protocol. “You don’t,” he declares
definitively, “go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.”
Donna Karan and Vera Wang are a little more charitable:
“I hope and believe that this is just a moment,” says Karan. “And I
hope to be able to dress her, and not only dress her but address her,
sit down — I’m interested in her totality as a woman.”
Ditto Wang. “I love seeing young designers and their vision and how
they grow and all of that,” she says. “On the other hand, of course, I
wish she would consider some of us, because I think we also have
contributions to make.”
Several of the designers mentioned in the article, including Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera sent several sketches prior to the inauguration, but never heard back. I'm guessing that they are truly stunned that the first lady has not gone rushing right into their arms as first ladies like Hillary Clinton and Nancy Reagan have in the past. I am wondering though, is it really hurting fashion if Mrs. Obama opts to stick with the newer and emerging (or well-known but not "major") designers she favors like Jason Wu, Thakoon Panichgul, Narciso Rodriguez, Tracy Feith, Tracy Reese, Isabel Toledo, Peter Soronen and Maria Pinto?
WWD not only went as far as to photoshop Mrs. Obama (in the opening image in an outfit by Ralph Lauren), they have selected several other looks from the major designers' Fall RTW 2009 collections:
WWD's suggestions from Donna Karan's Fall RTW 2009 collection.
WWD's suggestions from Tommy Hilfiger's Fall RTW 2009 collection.
Tommy Hilfiger takes a more temperate view, applauding Obama for not
focusing only on the high end. “I’m happy that she’s wearing young
designers and not only wearing [American] couture, which puts her more
in touch with real people,” he says.
WWD's suggestions from Marc Jacobs's Fall RTW 2009 collection.
WWD's suggestions from Vera Wang's Fall RTW 2009 collection.
Wang acknowledges the resonance of an association with Obama. “She
represents modern womanhood, a brilliant, active woman and mother,
because of her position, her beauty and her stature. She embodies
America right now. She is the face of America.”
WWD's suggestions from Carolina Herrera's Fall RTW 2009 collection.
“I think it’s all right that she chooses young designers, because it’s
American fashion that’s going around [the world],” observes Carolina
Herrera. “And J. Crew is a huge company, no? It speaks very well of her
that she wants to include everyone.”
WWD's suggestions from Oscar de la Renta's Fall RTW 2009 collection.
WWD's suggestions from Michael Kors's Fall RTW 2009 collection.
Kors, the only major designer to have found his way into a recent photo
op, defends Obama’s range. “She’s the first First Lady who’s ever worn
sportswear,” he says. “If you think about it, she’s worn everybody from
Azzedine Alaïa to Michael Kors to Isabel Toledo or Jason Wu to J. Crew
to Donna Ricco.”
WWD's suggestions from Ralph Lauren's Fall RTW 2009 collection.
I have to wonder if the major designers would be saying anything at all
if Mrs. Obama started out in their designs and stayed there without a
thought about the Jason Wus or Tracy Reeses in fashion. It's almost
like someone telling me that I am making a mistake by buying music from
new artists like Maiysha and Esperanza Spalding instead of buying
bigger names like Alicia Keys to keep the music industry afloat.
And are we even going to start on the black models these designers use (and don't use)?
Which of these major designers would you like to see the first lady wear?
