VCU fashion expert discusses first lady’s inaugural attire

By Tom Gresham

Michelle Obama has had fashion watchers buzzing since she arrived on the national stage, owing to her toned physique and bold fashion sense. The talk has reached a fever pitch since Obama became the new First Lady, guaranteeing four years in the spotlight.

“People haven’t been this excited about a First Lady’s clothes since Jackie Kennedy,” says Holly Alford, assistant professor of fashion at VCU and author of the forthcoming fifth edition of “Who’s Who in Fashion.”

So Obama’s outfit choice for the Presidential Inauguration was hotly anticipated. Her ultimate pick, a lemongrass dress and coat combination, was designed by Isabel Toledo, the 2008 commencement speaker at VCU School of the Arts in Qatar.

Alford, who attended the Inauguration, says the pick represents a huge boost for Toledo, who had interns from VCUQatar last summer, noting that every outfit Obama has worn in a prominent setting has sold out. The Inauguration outfit, in particular, will receive unimagined exposure and publicity.

“And it’s not just in the United States,” says Alford. “It was in pictures in newspapers all over the world. Everybody saw it.”

Alford says the recognition is deserved for Toledo. She says the outfit matched the fashion sense that Obama has exhibited so far in the public eye and, with its subtle patterning, “looked regal. It really did say royalty to me, which I think was perfect for the occasion.”

Alford says Toledo previously has not received enough attention for her designs, but being showcase by Obama should change that.

“I’m hoping (Obama) continues to pick minority designers who have not gotten the recognition they deserve, like Toledo, because it will give them a great platform,” Alford says.

Toledo was not the only designer with a VCUQatar connection to receive attention during the Inauguration festivities. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, wore a dress to the Inaugural Ball designed by Reem Acra, the speaker at the first VCU Qatar commencement in 2002. Alford says the dress “confirmed why Joe Biden’s always bragging about her in public.”

“It was a gorgeous dress and the way it flowed was beautiful,” Alford says.