First Lady Michelle Obama (Coral silk shantung jacket and skirt by Narciso Rodriguez, turquoise earrings by Nava Zahavi) with her daughters Sasha and Malia visited former South African President Nelson Mandela at his home in Houghton, Johannesburg June 21, 2011.
In this photo provided by the Nelson Mandela Foundation on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, US First Lady Michelle Obama with former South African President Nelson Mandela, at this home, in Houghton, South Africa. First lady Michelle Obama and her family met with Nelson Mandela during a private visit at the former South African president's home. Mrs. Obama, daughters Malia and Sasha, and her mother, Marian Robinson, were viewing some of Mandela's personal papers at his foundation Tuesday when according to White House officials, he sent word that he wanted to meet them. It was Mrs. Obama's first meeting with the prisoner-turned-president. [photos via Reuters and AP Photo]
President Barack Obama, joined by his family including First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia, and mother-in-law Marian Robinson, reacted as they push a button to light the National Christmas Tree during a ceremony on the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, DC, December 9, 2010.
President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha looked up during the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on the Ellipse in Washington December 9, 2010.
First lady Michelle O. wearing a Narciso Rodriguez coat.
Check out one of first lady Michelle Obama's favorite designers, Narciso Rodriguez during his Spring 2011 showing at New York Fashion Week and see if you can spot anything that fits the first lady's style.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle O. (wearing one of her fave Narciso Rodriguez frocks) left after having dinner at the Sweet Life Cafe in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, on August 23, 2010. The First Family is on vacation on the Island. And did they intentionally coordinate colors with each other? I think its cute :) [photo via Getty Images]
First Lady Michelle Obama (wearing a Narciso Rodriguez dress that she wore first here arriving in Moscow) spoke to about 1600 gathered businesswomen and dignitaries during an appearance at the 2010 Women's Summit in Reno, Nev. , Tuesday, June 1, 2010.
via HuffPo: Michelle Obama attended the 2010 Women's Summit in Reno, Nevada on Tuesday wearing a coral colored sundress paired with a pearl necklace. She told the audience, "First, let me begin by apologizing because I have a cold that I caught from this wonderful husband of mine. So forgive my voice and my dryness and all that good stuff. And when I come around to shake hands, there will be somebody following with Purell. Because you all have a lot of work to do and we can't afford for any of you to be sick." If that's what she looks like sick, she's doing great.
This $39.99 porcelain commemorative plate is from the Bradford Exchange. It shows Mrs. Obama in her Jason Wu white inaugural gown. “Richly edged in platinum and over 100 hand-set faux jewels,” Bradford says in its ads. It is the first in a series of plates featuring Mrs. Obama’s fashion choices that the company plans to issue, said Suzanne Magnuson, a product manager.
The Danbury Mint, a competitor in the collectibles market, is offering a $34.95 plate with a montage of six outfits, including the Wu, the Soronen, an Isabel Toledo and that glittery red and black Narciso Rodriguez from election night. Available May 20, it declares Mrs. Obama to be the First Lady of Elegance. [source]
The Narciso Rodriguez red and black dress that First Lady Michelle Obama donned on the night of her husband's election is now on the sale rack at Bergdorf Goodman, Madison Avenue Spy reports. Originally priced at $4,400, the frock can be all yours for $1,540--if you're a size 8.
First lady Michelle Obama (wearing Narciso Rodriguez) arrived to speak at the White House Council on Women and Girls' Forum on Workplace Flexibility in the Eisenhower Executive building in Washington, March 31, 2010.
First lady Michelle Obama attended the National Prayer Breakfast along with the President in Washington D.C., Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010 (on the right). On the left, Michelle O. is seen wearing the same Narciso Rodriguez dress to the President's address to a joint session of Congress on February 24th, 2009. Sporting bear arms to the event in 2009 caused an uproar of near epic proportions that in my personal opinion was WAY over the top and super unnecessary. My vote is for the sleeveless version.
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama (wearing Narciso Rodriguez) entered Anderson Hall on Marine Corps Base Hawaii to say hello to U.S. Marines having Christmas dinner in Kailua December 25, 2009. Obama is on Christmas vacation in Hawaii.
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greeted marines during Christmas dinner at Anderson Hall on Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kailua, Hawaii Friday, Dec. 25, 2009. The Obamas are in Hawaii for the holidays. [photos via AP Photo]
First Lady Michelle Obama (in a Narciso Rodriguez dress & Erickson Beamon brooch) waved to tourists as she left the Colosseum after a private tour of the ancient monument on July 8, 2009 in Rome, Italy. The wives of the leaders attending the G8 summit have visited many of the attractions of Rome while their husbands discussed world issues in L'Aquila.
President Barack Obama walks alongside First Lady Michelle Obama (wearing a dress from Talbots, cardigan by Dear Cashmere, belt by Sonia Rykiel) and daughters Sasha and Malia (in J. Crew) to Air Force One prior to departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, July 5, 2009. Obama is traveling to Moscow, Russia, on the first leg of a week-long trip that will also take him to Italy and Ghana.
Such a fun shot of Sasha skipping to board Marine One...
And a change of clothes marks the Obama's arrival into Moscow (Michelle is in a peach Narciso Rodriguez dress and Sonia Rykiel belt. Malia, is wearing a Silk Taffeta Trench [J. Crew] and black satin ballet flats with contrast trim. Sasha, is wearing the girls’ crushed twill trench and girls’ minna printed ballet flats in classic navy [also J. Crew & Crewcuts).
President Barack Obama walks with first lady Michelle Obama (in a black and white sheath dress by Narciso Rodriguez) to greet guests during a Fourth of July celebration with military families on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington July 4, 2009.
President Obama talks to daughter Malia as First Lady Michelle Obama and Sasha look on during an event to celebrate Independence Day and to honor military heroes and their families on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 4, 2009.
French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, right, and U.S. first lady Michelle Obama (in a Narciso Rodriguez dress, Michael Kors coat and Givenchy belt), react, during an arrival ceremony at the Prefecture of Caen, northwestern France, Saturday, June 6, 2009. Obama and Sarkozy will attend ceremonies Saturday marking the 65th anniversary of the Allied D-Day landings in Normandy.
President Barack Obama is greeted by French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy as French President Nicolas Sarkozy greets first lady Michelle Obama during an arrival ceremony at the Prefecture of Caen, northwestern France, Saturday, June 6, 2009.
So what are they wearing?
Bruni-Sarkozy's outfit, which also included a swingy black cashmere coat, was signed Christian Dior _ her favorite label. Also true to form, Mrs. Obama's dress was by Narciso Rodriguez (and Michael Kors coat), one of the stable of American designers she champions.
Britain's Daily Telegraph said photos of the two striding side-by-side on the red carpet at Saturday's commemorations were "surreally interchangeable with shots from a catwalk show. ... They could almost have been modeling some designers' collection named 'First Lady Spring 2009.'" [via HuffPo]
l. to r. DesignersNarciso Rodriguez, Maria Cornejo and Thakoon Panichgul
Given the thirst for all things Michelle Obama, the likelihood that a few of her go-to designers would get together for a public chat about her personal style was inevitable.
Diverse as their designs are, Maria Cornejo, Thakoon Panichgul and Narciso Rodriguez each gave the First Lady points for her unpredictability, multidesigner high-low wardrobe, bold color choices, sleeveless dresses, unexpected personal touches and indifference about Seventh Avenue’s Old Guard in a discussion Sunday at The New York Times’ headquarters with fashion critic Cathy Horyn. The trio of designers practically saluted Obama for dressing like a modern working woman instead of following the same-as-it-ever-was dress code of some of her predecessors.
“She shops. She looks at collections and fashion shows I guess like everyone else does. She picks what she likes and she wears it,” Rodriguez said. “That’s very modern. I don’t know of anyone who dresses in just one fashion designer. Do you?”
“I’m an exception,” Cornejo said with a laugh. “I’m not big on choices.”
Apparently, the First Lady is. So much so that she still doesn’t clue in designers and, to date, she has worn Isabel Toledo, Michael Kors, Sophie Theallet, Tracy Reese, Azzedine Alaïa and others. While Rodriguez met Obama years ago in Chicago, Cornejo and Panichgul never have. Asked about a WWD article in which some designers questioned why the First Lady wasn’t wearing designs from established houses, all three panelists piped up. Rodriguez said, “That was outrageous,” concurring with Horyn it was a case of sour grapes. “How dare anybody tell the First Lady or any woman today what they should be wearing?”
Pre-order your hardcover copy of "Michelle Style: Celebrating the First Lady of Fashion" by Mandi Norwood for only $13.59 at Amazon.com! A perfect Mother's Day gift, (how fabulous does she look on this cover in Narciso Rodriguez?!) this book will be officially released on Tuesday May 5th, 2009, So pre-order your copies (click to order below) today!
