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Maria Pinto, whose dresses Michelle Obama wore at the Democratic National Convention and at several other prominent events, is closing her retail shop. Apparently, the recession was too hard even for this favored designer. I wonder if MO couldn't have found a stimulus package just for her.
But another Michelle favorite, Jason Wu, who designed her inaugural ball gown, is reaping huge dividends. The dress has been placed in the Smithsonian as part of a permanent collection of First Ladies' gowns.
I have refrained these days from commenting on Michelle Obama's sartorial decisions. Frankly, they are not really worth the attention, and I don't think she's any kind of fasion icon, or worth emulating. The proof is her inaugural gown, which is shapeless, with an unattractive asymmetry at the shoulder, and stiff three-dimensional flower-like shapes which don't fit on the light-weight material. It looks like a cheap wedding dress.
Both Jackie Kennedy and Nancy Reagan have dresses at the Smithsonian which have asymmetrical shoulders. But, both dresses are infinitely more attractive. I think the secret lies in the straight and simple cuts, and structured forms of both the dresses, which don't compete with the unusual asymmetry. Nancy Reagan's dress can also afford the large, slightly sculptural prints since the cut of the dress provides a simple background for these domineering patterns, which fit well on the sturdy material. In contrast, Michelle Obama's gown has busy gathers at the waist, and undecipherable 3-D blobs scattered on an ephemeral, shifting background material.
