Turns out it’s a Chicago boutique owner, Ikram Goldman.

Check out the NY Times article “Behind the First Lady, a Shadow Stylist”

Jason Wu is one lucky dude! As it’s all over the media now - he had no idea Michelle Obama was going to wear his dress, and that just melts my little 24 year old heart (he’s only 26!!). Anyway, puhlease disregard the part in the article where the Times clearly has a bias - Isabel Toledo went to both FIT and Parsons. Just because Project Runway was filmed at Parson’s doesn’t mean they didn’t try to shoot it at FIT first (they did) - so the rivalry will go on and on. AND - I love how they paint the picture of a struggling designer in his midtown apartment eating Dominos. First - you’re not struggling if your apartment is in midtown, I don’t care if it’s next to Joshua Tree. Second - Jason Wu needs to check the NYC health standards because last time I checked the Dominos in Chelsea had mice. So now that I’m all fired up for the weekend - enjoy the below article from the Times!

NY Times - Spotlight on Designer of Gown for Ball

Gorgeous, feminine & polished! “How good does my wife look?” - Barack Obama. I think the bigger question is - who is her stylist?

Dress by traditionalist, yet newbie Jason Wu - view complete Sp 09 collection on Style.com

Photo taken from People.com

Yay or nay?  I’m still on the fence, I think the color choice was smart and fresh - but it was more first lady-esque than I expected.  Still, you can’t blame her for wanting her coat to match fabulously with her dress, DC is frickin’ cold right now!

Isabel Toledo dress, Jimmy Choo pumps.  Oh - and did I mention Ms. Toledo is a FIT alum? Happy Inauguration day!

As the inauguration of Obama is coming up this Tuesday, I’ve had a lot of conversations/questions about what Michelle Obama will be wearing. Michelle Obama is different from any other first lady for a bevy of reasons, but her style is really what puts it out there and begs the media to portray her in a new and refreshing light. She has already been praised for her choice of designers - Thakoon, Narciso Rodriguez, and Chicago based Maria Pinto - which are a far cry from the usually matronly adorned first wives. There’s a ton of speculation in the fashion world about what she will wear - but if we can assume anything based on her past choices, it will definitely not be covered in sequins or include a sash or train or any decadence of first lady’s past. So - in stark contrast to our future first lady of fashion, I’ve put together a fun little timeline of inauguration dresses over the years - painful and amusing at the same time.

Jackie Kennedy (her own design)

Patricia Nixon by Karen Stark

Nancy Reagan by John Galanos

Hilary Clinton in Sarah Phillips

To see more, go to People.com

I don’t really get it - that dress was conservative in every way, yet fashion forward - what’s the problem? Once you read the article, don’t miss the comments at the bottom - it’s absolutely ridiculous how this is stirring up so much dram. I especially love the comment where someone didn’t like the dress because it looked like a lava lamp - I just don’t even know what to say, it was a perfectly normal dress!

NY Times - “That Dress? Everyone Has an Opinion”

Photo taken from NYTimes.com