Michelle Obama Put the Spotlight on a Black Designer at the Inauguration 

During the eight years she spent as first lady, Michelle Obama continuously supported American fashion. Obama used her position in the public eye to showcase the best in homegrown talent, and regularly raised emerging brands’ profiles thanks to the outfits she and stylist Meredith Koop chose. Since resuming life as a private citizen, she has continued to dress thoughtfully. For today’s inauguration celebrations, she selected a look from one of her favorite young designers, Sergio Hudson. In a plum overcoat, turtleneck, wide-leg pants, and one of Hudson’s signature oversized belts, Obama made a chic statement as she and her husband, Barack, arrived at the ceremony both in matching masks by her tailor, Christy Rilling.

Hudson’s designs have become staples within Obama’s wardrobe. A master of streamlined silhouettes with nipped waists, he can be counted on to create distinctive looks that flatter their wearer. In 2019 during her Becoming book tour, Obama relied on his talents multiple times. She chose a daring purple pantsuit for an Atlanta sit down with Gayle King at the State Farm Arena that May of that year, and an even more dramatic sequined jumpsuit for a visit to the Essence Festival in July. Though the outfits were on opposite ends of the spectrum, both were bold, unexpected, and made Obama look fantastic. 

Obama’s Inauguration Day look relied on some of the same elements that made her previous collaborations with Hudson memorable. Monochromatic, belted, and effortlessly glam, it was a look worthy of Obama’s status as the “forever first lady.”