With the world at large watching, Melania Trump’s choice of political uniform for such an occasion as Inauguration Day - her first outfit as FLOTUS (2.0) - will be more than just clothes. Consider it not so much a look as a statement of intent for the term ahead.
In 2017, she chose Ralph Lauren, a powder blue dress coat that recalled another first lady: Jackie Kennedy. Today, eight years later in 2025, Melania struck a decidedly more sombre note in monochrome for a service at St John's Church, namely a black-and-cream dress coat, designed by Adam Lippes, with a matching boater hat from Eric Javits.
Based in New York, Lippes has long dressed the A-list, including the outgoing FLOTUS, Jill Biden, as well as pop-culture icons Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Zendaya. Melania has been a fan since her husband's first presidency - and has reworn a favourite black-and-whirt, cotton-poplin shirt dress three times since 2018.
It's a colour palette that she's also been wearing ahead of Inauguration Day, sticking to her tried-and-tested formula of the world’s most luxurious brands with a polished roster of outfits in black-and-white: a sharp-shouldered white trouser suit by Dolce & Gabbana, as well as a grey double-breasted coat by Dior. It started at last week's funeral for President Jimmy Carter, for which she chose another black coat with an exaggerated white collar by Valentino. Is she purposely avoiding partisan colours, trying to stoke up a feeling of solidarity regardless of party? Or is it simply evidence of a preference for winter neutrals over jewel tones or primary shades? Either could be true but, with an unprecedented level of scrutiny around today's events, there will have been a strategy behind those particular hues and those specific designers, which, interestingly, were not American (although this morning's designer, Lippes, is from Buffalo, New York).
During her first stint in the White House, Melania she cut a unilaterally high-end figure in labels such as Dior, Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana - all with headquarters in Europe. Her one foray into high street caused a public relations disaster. The Zara khaki jacket in question was printed with the words, ‘I Really Don’t Care. Do U?’, which immediately caused outrage because of the day she had chosen to wear it - the very same as a visit to a children's shelter in McAllen, Texas. A masterstroke in sartorial diplomacy it wasn’t (having initially responded to comments via a spokesperson by insisting ‘there was no hidden message’, Melania later explained that it was in fact a kind of statement to the ‘left-wing media who are criticising me’). What it most definitely revealed is that Melania, a woman who systemically matches her stilettos to her skirt suits, does put a great deal of thought into her outfits as FLOTUS, using what she wears as an opportunity to not only reveal allegiances but air grievances.
Much has been written about the fact that designers either don’t want to dress Melania - or, perhaps just as likely, don’t want to publicly be seen to endorse anyone even associated with MAGA. (Herve Pierre, her stylist, famously buys most of her clothes as opposed to borrowing from designer fashion houses like your average celebrity client.) But could the tide be turning? Ivanka Trump’s reemergence onto the political scene in time for her father’s big day certainly suggests so. For Sunday’s Inaugural Candlelit Dinner, Oscar de la Renta dressed Ivanka, posting not one but two photos on Instagram, one of which was a behind-the-scenes video of the crystals and cabochon pearls being painstakingly embroidered onto a custom-made gown. The reaction in the comments section was mixed. ‘Absolutely beautiful!! Ivanka looked stunning 😍,’ said one user. ‘Beautifulllll gown but sadly to the wrong person,’ wrote another. A timely example of the political views dividing America? Undoubtedly.
Natalie Hammond is Grazia’s Senior Fashion News Editor. She loves winter, hates summer and can often be found writing about the weather (and what on earth to wear).