The Michelle Obama “Career-Launcher” for Emerging Designer Jason Wu

[DeepModem Mom]

WSJ: The Michelle Obama “Career-Launcher” for Emerging Designer Jason Wu
December 1, 2008
Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan


Barack and Michelle Obama with Barbara Walters. (AP)

Right after Jason Wu’s fashion show in September, the 26-year-old New York designer received a mysterious request.

Ikram Goldman, owner of the influential Ikram boutique in Chicago, wanted to buy look number 17 for a “special” customer, Mr. Wu said. Her measurements would be sent over promptly, the dress had to be done and delivered as soon as possible and the designer was instructed not to tell anyone about the order, he said. “I had an inkling who it was for, but I didn’t want to think about it,” said Mr. Wu, then a fairly unknown designer who launched his line in 2006.

Then on Wednesday, Mr. Wu was watching ABC’s “The Barbara Walters Special” when Michelle Obama appeared wearing the $3,510 raw silk dress he made with hand-embroidered rosettes. “It was a little surreal,” said Mr. Wu, whose line will be sold at influential retailers like Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus for the first time in spring. “Narciso Rodriguez, whom she’s also worn – I used to intern there! This is so exciting.” (He said his office has been getting calls from retailers and press about the dress since his team sent out a release on it this morning.)


Michelle Obama’s dress on Jason Wu’s Spring 2009 runway. (Jason Wu)

Mr. Wu, who sells $3,000 to $6,000 evening gowns and day dresses that retail for $1,000 to $4,000, says the piece Mrs. Obama wore took a few weeks to finish and was delivered to Ikram by the end of September. “Each of those little black dots are hand-embroidered florets with French knots,” he says, noting that the embroidery took 100 hours of labor in a New York studio. (He notes that the dress, which will be sold at Ikram and Bergdorf Goodman in January, was not a gift; Mrs. Obama paid for it.)

The Taipei-born designer believes the association with Mrs. Obama could be a “career-launcher – the brand is known in the (fashion) industry but this is great for name recognition in the mainstream. And, the Obamas are global figures. They go way beyond America.”

Even before Wednesday, however, Mr. Wu had been garnering buzz from high-end retailers. When asked which new names they were watching following the Spring 2009 shows in New York, head buyers from Nordstrom and cutting-edge boutiques such as Kirna Zabete in Manhattan, all named Mr. Wu. Jim Wetzel, co-owner of the high-end Jake boutiques in the Chicago-area, described the line as reflecting an “Oscar de la Renta moment, but for a younger set.”...

http://blogs.wsj.com/runway/2008/12/01/the-michelle-obama-career-launcher-for-emerging-designer-jason-wu/

[shireen]

1. an exquisite and elegant dress, but

i would have a really hard time wearing anything that cost that much. But that's just me ... if i was forced to spend $3000 on something frivolous, I'd buy super-rare ferns and African violets! Or a nice telescope. :D

[FrenchieCat]

2. Yep...that one wasn't cheap......

But since she's done cheap....I guess she gets to do pricey every now and then.

It did look good on her, and I hope that she wears it again, as it was lovely,
but didn't get the kind of wear that it deserves.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. A very modern way to dress --- mixing high and low. She is very fashion-forward...

and will be a real style-setter. Fashion is, of course, a business like any other, and her patronage should give a boost to (American) designers and retailers at all price levels.

I think she has real style -- and it's all her own.

[RollWithIt]

6. I just like to compare... Sarah Palin spent 200,000+ in two weeks....

$3000 for dress seems to pale in comparison knowing it was after the election.

[Clio the Leo]

3. Yeah, I wasn't feelin' that one......

.... I wish she'd wear more solids like she wore to meet the Bush's because they photograph better but it's no big deal. I'd rather see her for the next 8 years wearing something I'm not blown away with than Cindy McCain wear something I am.

I dont adore Michelle because of what she wears. ;)

This is my fav. outfit of her's lately....





And I truly, truly admire her habit of venturing out into the world with no makeup on when she KNOWS the press is going to be filming her.

I couldn't do it. She's a greater woman than I am ... in SO many ways. Good job Mr. President if you'll govern your country like you picked your wife we're gonna be just fine!

[firedupdem]

5. I liked the dress. I thought it looked nice on her. n/t

[Catchawave]

7. Don't forget the bling....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1090653/Barack-Obama-buy-rare-20-000-gold-ring-wife-say-thanks-support.html

...swooon...:loveya:

[DeepModem Mom]

8. Swooon, indeed! nt

[FrenchieCat]

9. If only it was true, and not a unconfirmed article coming out of a British trash mag.....

your swooning would be for a reason, I guess.... :eyes: