First Lady Melania Trump made history Friday when she donated her striking 2025 inaugural ball gown to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, becoming the only first lady to contribute inaugural gowns from two non-consecutive presidential terms to the prestigious collection.
The strapless ivory silk crepe gown, accented with dramatic bands of black silk gazar, was designed by her longtime fashion collaborator Hervé Pierre. It joined the museum’s First Ladies Collection in a ceremony attended by several governors’ spouses who were in Washington, D.C. for the annual governors’ meeting.
“It’s incredible. It’s a historic moment,” Trump said when asked how it felt to see her gown displayed in its transparent case at the National Museum.
The former fashion model watched with evident pride as the ensemble, displayed on a mannequin during the ceremony, was later transported upstairs to join more than two dozen other first ladies’ gowns in the permanent exhibit. Trump also donated the black neckpiece adorned with a reproduction of a historic 1955 Harry Winston diamond brooch, which she wore as a choker to the three inaugural balls on January 20, 2025. The curving floral design brooch features marquise, pear-shaped, and baguette diamonds set in platinum and white gold.
The gown features a distinctive black “Z” shape on the front bodice, created from the black silk gazar bands winding across the dress. In her remarks, Trump described the gown as far more than a fashion statement, explaining that it represents decades of her education, experience, and life influences distilled into every thread and stitch. She emphasized that the black detailing on the bodice summons early memories and experiences from her life, all tucked within the garment’s crisp seams.
The first lady spoke for nearly seven minutes about the gown’s meaning and her passion for fashion design, describing it as modern, bold, simple, and dignified. She characterized the black and white color scheme as setting a mood rich with emotion and declared the dress “ruthlessly chic” with a distinct point of view. Fashion design, she noted, represents another form of creative expression alongside traditional arts.
The dress played a prominent role in Trump’s self-titled documentary film “Melania,” which showed her fittings with Pierre and her consultations on its design and fit. She referenced those scenes during Friday’s ceremony, explaining how they demonstrated her love for the entire design process from start to finish, calling the end result “magical.”
Trump also spoke about fashion as a form of self-care and emphasized the importance of self-expression through personal style. She encouraged people to take pride not only in small rituals of self-care but in the courageous act of presenting oneself to the world, noting that the art of personal presentation can be cultivated over a lifetime.
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, the 14th leader of the institution and the first African American and first historian to hold the position, welcomed the addition to the collection. He noted that the First Ladies Collection serves as “as much a timeline on American history as it is a look on fashion.” Bunch observed that the treasured gowns help illuminate the development of the country and the changing expectations of women’s roles in society.
Trump’s contribution marks a unique achievement in the collection’s more than 100-year history. While Frances Cleveland also served as first lady during non-consecutive presidential terms in the late 1800s—from 1886 to 1889 and again from 1893 to 1897—that era predated the Smithsonian’s inaugural gown tradition. The collection originated in 1912 when Helen Taft became the first first lady to donate her inaugural gown to the institution. The original exhibition opened at the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building in 1914 and was the first Smithsonian exhibition by, for, and about women.
Trump now stands alone as the only first lady with inaugural ballgowns from two separate terms in the collection. Museum Director Anthea M. Hartig called it “a milestone in its own right—the first First Lady to be represented by two inaugural gowns in the more than 100 years of this museum.”
This marks the second inaugural gown Trump has donated to the museum. In 2017, she contributed the vanilla silk crepe off-the-shoulder gown with a split skirt, ruffled detailing, and a red ribbon accent at the waist that she wore to President Trump’s first inaugural celebrations. Both gowns were designed by Pierre, cementing their creative partnership.
The 2025 gown went on display immediately after the ceremony, when the museum reopened to the public Friday afternoon. Trump and Pierre returned to view the gown in its see-through display case, taking in the finished presentation alongside other historic first ladies’ gowns. The exhibit now features 26 dresses from multiple administrations.
The First Ladies exhibit includes gowns from Michelle Obama, whose 2009 white inauguration gown embellished with flowers launched designer Jason Wu’s career; Barbara Bush’s staid velvet and satin blue gown from 1989; Laura Bush; Hillary Clinton; and Jill Biden, who donated her ensembles in 2023. The collection continues the long-standing tradition Helen Taft established, preserving these artifacts of American political and cultural history for future generations.
Today, the First Ladies Collection comprises nearly 1,000 objects, including inaugural gowns, personal effects, furniture, and White House ephemera documenting the activities and contributions of America’s first ladies. The collection resides within the museum’s Division of Politics and Reform, where conservation efforts are ongoing to preserve these delicate historical artifacts.