After multiple magazine covers and overseas visits, countless state dinners and late-night talk show appearances, there is no question that Michelle Obama has had an unusually fruitful relationship with fashion during her time as First Lady of the United States.
But in the wake of Donald Trump’s victory in a highly divisive presidential election, during which most of the fashion community was vocal in its support for Hillary Clinton, Melania Trump’s future relationship with fashion — and fashion magazines — remains uncertain.
Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour was a dedicated fundraiser for Clinton, as she had been for President Obama, and Vogue backed the Democratic candidate in the magazine’s first-ever political endorsement. Glamour editor-in-chief Cindi Leive, Elle editor-in-chief Robbie Myers, CFDA chairperson Diane von Furstenberg and Hearst’s Joanna Coles are just a few of the industry leaders who also supported Clinton.
So how will this anti-Trump community interact with America’s new First Lady?
Will her style be dissected and copied and lauded with the same fervour as Mrs. Obama’s? As with anything Trump-related, prognostication is a challenge. Never before has a president so openly disregarded democratic norms and aligned himself with a racist, xenophobic, misogynist, anti-Semitic and nationalist creed, which fundamentally changes the significance of covering Mrs. Trump’s style.
“While we never comment on future editorial, Vogue has a long, rich history, dating back to Mrs. Helen Taft, of covering America’s First Ladies, regardless of party affiliation,” said a representative for the title. In addition to Mrs. Taft, Vogue has photographed every First Lady since Lou Hoover, with the exception of Bess Truman. Hillary Clinton made history when she became the first First Lady to appear on the cover of the magazine in December 1998. Michelle Obama has since appeared on the cover three times since 2009, most recently on the December 2016 cover.