In 2017, Melania Trump wore a sky-blue cashmere jacket and mock turtleneck dress by Ralph Lauren
Melania Trump, the incoming first lady, graced her husband’s second inauguration in a fashionable ensemble designed to combat the cold temperatures of the day. Her outfit featured a silk navy wool coat and skirt paired with an ivory white blouse, black leather gloves, blue suede pumps, and a flat-topped hat.
The coat is a product of Adam Lippes, a New York fashion designer, according to multiple media reports.
In a statement to Vogue, Lippes said the outfit he designed for Melania Trump was meant to embody American democracy.
The designer who dressed Mrs. Trump, Lippes, highlighted the significance of the presidential inauguration as a symbol of American democracy. He expressed pride in showcasing Melania’s attire, emphasizing that it was crafted by some of the finest artisans in America.
It’s not the first time Lippes has designed clothing for presidential spouses. Jill Biden has also worn a Lippes suit in the past.
As Women’s Wear Daily noted, Melania Trump’s outfit is a departure from tradition. She usually prefers European designs for her daily wardrobe.
Reports from fashion sources revealed that Melania’s personal stylist, Herve Pierre, collaborated with various U.S.-based designers to create her inauguration outfit, ensuring she made a stylish statement at the event.
Clothing is often a tool used by women in politics to signal priorities. Suffragettes campaigning for the right of women to vote often wore white to symbolize morality. Melania Trump herself used an olive-green coat with the phrase “I REALLY DON’T CARE. DO U?” written across the back in an apparent dig at the media criticism of her.
In selecting American outfitters for her inauguration outfit, Melania appears to be signaling support for her husband’s campaign messaging of supporting U.S. businesses, in a departure from her first four years as first lady. In Trump’s first term, he would often preach about buying “America first,” which his wife’s largely European wardrobe undercut.
In 2017, Melania Trump wore a sky-blue cashmere jacket and mock turtleneck dress by Ralph Lauren, the brand that designed so many Hillary Clinton pantsuits, on Inauguration Day.
