Melania Trump stood next to her husband at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington DC on Monday wearing a custom navy coat, skirt and blouse by New York designer Adam Lippes. Unlike the powder blue, cashmere Ralph Lauren ensemble she donned at the 2017 Presidential Inauguration, which prompted comparisons to Jacqueline Kennedy, this time the incoming First Lady opted for a much more sombre look, her flat, wide-brim hat disguising most of her face. The look, in fact, was Melania Trump through and through — severe and demure.
In opting for a look by a lesser-known designer, though one she’s turned to in the past (most recently in NYC last summer), Trump could be gesturing at how she intends to employ fashion differently during her tenure at the White House this time around.
The Adam Lippes label is just over a decade old. While Lippes, known for his sophisticated take on American sportswear, is a well-liked figure among the American fashion establishment, he is hardly a household name in the way Lauren is. Back in 2017, starting with her inauguration look, there was a feeling that Trump, together with her husband, had something to prove. Not simply that they could dress the part — not necessarily as much of an issue for Melania, a former model — but that they could project the image of a proper, political, all-American first family. The choice of Lauren signalled that Trump had access, like any First Lady before her, to the best American fashion had to offer. That she could, too, assimilate into the role of First Lady with ease.
