Fashion giants desperate for Melania Trump connection despite 2017 snub; ‘people are begging to dress” Melania on Inauguration Day

As Melania Trump is on her way to starting a new career move, going back to her First Lady days, all eyes will be on her fashion picks for the Inauguration Day, especially since the last political affair fared out on a controversial note. In January 2017, the former model settled for a £5,500 powder blue cashmere dress and bolero, thanks to Ralph Lauren stepping up as one of the few designers to volunteer to create an outfit for her on a big day for the US presidency's new chapter.

This time around, a new wave has swept in. Although major fashion giants wanted to steer clear of Donald Trump’s “toxic” brand of politics years ago, countless big players in the industry are now knocking at their door so that Melania could be seen flaunting their creation on January 20. Now that the incoming first lady has “come out from under husband’s shadow,” as highlighted by David Adler, founder of Washington high society magazine Washington Dossier, she is equally playing the game in her own rights. While her final outfit choice is still “up in the air,” Toni Holt Kramer, founder of the Trumpettes support group, affirmed that her final piece “will go down in history.”

Contrary to Trump’s first presidency, the mood surrounding the Trump family has shifted. Melania’s longtime designer friend Herve Pierre had told Woman’s Wear Daily that in light of brands “shunning” her out, he had to buy clothes “off the rack” for her during the first term. With endless options at her disposal this time, Pierre is of the opinion that Melania will ultimately go for a US brand at a time when the “America First” rhetoric is possibly at its loudest. It is also believed that Melania and her sister, Ines, her trustworthy confidante, have been “considering” outfits this week at Mar-a-Lago.

Consequently, Holt Kramer told the Daily Mail, “Everyone wants to dress Melania” after Donald Trump’s landslide victory against Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential elections. “Things are very different this time around. When President Trump was first elected back in 2016, Melania was treated very badly indeed,” she reiterated. However, with 2025, the tide appears to have been flipped entirely now that brands that previously refused to dress her are also turning up at her door. “She was shunned and treated appallingly but acted with nothing but class,” Kramer added. “It must have been hard for her. Now people are begging to dress her.”

Moschino’s creative director, Jeremy Scott (clients include Beyonce and Lady Gaga), and French designer Sophie Theallet were a few of the many designers who famously refused to back Melania years ago in an attempt to visibly distance themselves from Donald Trump. Emphasising that he would “never” collaborate with the former model, Scott said, “Obviously [Melania] looks great, but I can’t divorce it from who she is. I don’t know Melania.”

Meanwhile, Theallet, a favourite of Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Lopez, wrote in an open letter: “I will not participate in dressing or associating in any way with the next First Lady. The rhetoric of racism, sexism and xenophobia unleashed by her husband’s presidential campaign are incompatible with the shared values we live by.”

Dolce & Gabbana Sparks Backlash for Supporting Melania Trump

By Alyssa Hardy, teenvogue.com, April 5, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: U.S. first lady Melania Trump attends the 2017 Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award March 29, 2017 in Washington, DC. The award honors women who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in acting to improve the lives of others. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)Win McNamee

At this point, dressing First Lady Melania Trump has become somewhat of a tricky topic for fashion designers. With the #GrabYourWallet campaign threatening to boycott brands associated with the administration, it makes sense that many designers would be wary. Prior to the Inauguration, some even went as far as to write official statements saying they will not dress the First Lady.

There has been one brand, however, that has consistently touted their affinity for Melania and made it known that they are proud to dress her. Stefano Gabbana, designer for the iconic fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, took to his Instagram for the second time this year to thank Melania for wearing his look. While the first instance was simply a dress for a party, this latest look takes it a step further: her official White House portrait.

On Instagram, Stefano posted the photo with the caption, “#DGWoman BEAUTIFUL #melaniatrump Thank you #madeinitaly” alongside a slew of Emojis.

Though several users defended Stefano emphasizing that Melania looked great in his jacket, most commenters were upset with the designer’s decision. Some commenters felt betrayed by their favorite brand saying things like, “Well. No more D&G for me. It won’t matter to you since you are rich now but it matters to me,” and, “This makes me want to unfollow my favorite designer.”

Others found that choosing an Italian designer seems like a clear departure from her husband’s “America first” policies. One person wrote, “So, America first.... interesting. Even if I Looooooove D&G to death it is the double standard and discourse I just find interesting.”

Since the image was posted by the White House, criticism has been coming in from every angle. Initially, the price of her ring seemed to be the biggest concern. As the First Lady, Melania’s clothing choices take on more significance, and while what she wears may not seem like a big deal to some, many find it to be a major point of contention.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSdXASklYuT/?taken-by=stefanogabbana

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