In a dramatic shift from 2017, former First Lady Melania Trump is receiving numerous offers from major fashion houses to dress her for Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration on January 20, 2025. This contrasts sharply with her first inauguration experience when many prominent designers publicly refused to associate with the Trump brand.
During the 2017 inauguration, Mrs. Trump wore a $6,875 powder blue cashmere dress and bolero designed by Ralph Lauren, one of the few designers willing to work with her at the time. The outfit drew comparisons to Jacqueline Kennedy’s iconic inauguration look.
“When President Trump was first elected back in 2016, Melania was treated very badly indeed. People spoke out against her and refused to dress her. She was shunned and treated appallingly but acted with nothing but class. It must have been hard for her,” said Toni Holt Kramer, founder of the Trumpettes support group.
Major American and European fashion houses, including Versace and Christian Dior, now offer clothing for Mrs. Trump, 54. Her longtime designer friend Hervé Pierre favors an American brand for the inauguration outfit, which remains undecided. Pierre previously served as creative director at Carolina Herrera before becoming Mrs. Trump’s primary stylist.
The 2017 inaugural festivities showcased Mrs. Trump’s evolving style. She chose a sleek white, off-the-shoulder column dress designed in collaboration with Pierre for the inaugural balls. The gown featured minimalist styling and architectural details that became hallmarks of her White House fashion choices.
In 2017, several prominent designers publicly refused to dress Mrs. Trump. Jeremy Scott, former creative director of Moschino, who has dressed celebrities like Beyonce and Lady Gaga, stated at the time: “Obviously [Melania] looks great, but I can’t divorce it from who she is. I don’t know Melania.”
French designer Sophie Theallet, who has designed dresses for Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Lopez, wrote an open letter in 2017 stating: “I will not participate in dressing or associating in any way with the next First Lady. The rhetoric of racism, sexism, and xenophobia unleashed by her husband’s presidential campaign are incompatible with the shared values we live by.”
Mrs. Trump’s sister Ines has been helping her consider outfit options during fittings at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Pierre previously revealed to Women’s Wear Daily that designers were so reluctant to offer Mrs. Trump clothing during her husband’s first term that he bought clothes “off the rack” for her. Despite these challenges, Mrs. Trump maintained a distinctive style as First Lady.
The 2017 inaugural gown became part of history when Mrs. Trump donated it to the Smithsonian’s First Ladies Collection, joining a century-old tradition that began with Helen Taft. The vanilla silk crepe off-the-shoulder gown, featuring a slit skirt, ruffled accent trim, and a claret ribbon around the waist, is now part of the museum’s collection of 26 inaugural gowns and more than 160 other First Lady artifacts.
David Adler, founder of Washington society magazine Washington Dossier, stated that Melania Trump has emerged from her husband’s shadow, pointing to her memoir and what he described as a $40 million documentary agreement.
Leading up to the inauguration, Melania has showcased notable ensembles. At Mar-a-Lago’s New Year’s Eve celebration, she wore a black Versace gown featuring a draped cowl neck and thigh-high slit, embodying elegance and confidence.
Additionally, at former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral, she donned a black Valentino trench coat dress with a distinctive white collar adorned with a kiss-print design, highlighting her sophisticated style.
Adler observed that Washington is no longer unfamiliar territory for Mrs. Trump, explaining that she has developed both the confidence to establish her own identity and an understanding of how to navigate Washington’s social and political landscape.