Good day everyone! As a huge Jason Wu fan (and proud owner of a few of his Jason Wu for Target collection pieces) I was like a kid on Christmas morning to hear that the First Lady chose his design to wear for the inauguration ball. Rumblings in the fashion’verse are very excited and shocked to see the First Lady pick the designer again. This hasn’t happen before so you can imagine how ground breaking this moment was and will be for Jason Wu (AGAIN). Jason Wu also expressed his excitement/shock on a two worded tweet “#Inshock”. Yea I think we all are.
Jason Wu’s first Tweet after First Lady Michelle Obama’s appearance in his dress!
What can I say? Jason Wu makes incredible clothes that flatter a woman’s figure while making you feel feminine and well put together. (I own this navy dress from his Target collection that I proudly wear on those days I wake up, look in my closet and say “I’m feeling girly today”…*side note* it has pockets, need I say more?!?). Let’s face it, the First Lady has her preferences and probably felt comfortable going with a designer that she knows firsthand understands her body and the comfort level she wanted to be in for a night of celebrating.
Michelle Obama’s Inaugural Gown
However, there are those who hoped to see the first lady in another designer’s creation to boost sales and exposure for someone less known to the public. The amount of exposure any designer gets when the First Family wears their designs is anything short of amazing. Thedailybeast.com talked to David Yermack, professor of finance at the Stern School of Business at New York University and the author of the 2010 Harvard Business Review study on The Michelle Obama Effect and Yermack claims that:
“In 2010 Yermack’s study measured that Obama’s effect on the fashion industry was roughly $2.7 billion, a number he expects has grown significantly in the last four years. The first lady also favors J.Crew, and several of the pieces she and her daughters wore on Inauguration Day immediately flew off the shelves. (Her belt, borrowed from the retailer’s bridal department, was gone in a matter of hours”.
Granted, this Midas touch would have been great on a up and coming designer who needed the push into the limelight but it also goes to show the First Lady will choose what she likes at the end of the day.
On the right 2009 inaugural ball, on the left 2013 inaugural ball.
No doubt this is an amazing opportunity for Jason Wu who will surely, once again be on everyone’s minds and closets (MINE) in no time ..(prob by the end of the week after I sneak off to Nordstroms). I’m sure Mrs. Obama will continue to rock some amazing outfits while being all too aware of the impact she has and can have on new design talent.
Congratulations to Jason Wu and to his creative team for this amazing prize. Now let’s swoon over the dress one more time and excuse me as I go plan my navy dress outfit for tomorrow. But the thermal friendly kind to combat the unbearably cold weather DC will be blessed with this week.
Keepin it Confident – while freezing
Patty