Runway To Change: Top Designers Unveil Inaugural Collection

Eleven top designers, including Narciso Rodriguez, who designed Michelle Obama's controversial election night dress, and Beyoncé's House of Deréon, have unveiled high-style inauguration souvenirs. The swag ranges from bags to scarves to t-shirts, priced between $30 and $150. Press release and images with description below.

From the press release:

The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) is pleased to announce the Runway for Change Inaugural Collection, a series of high fashion handbags and T-shirts created by some of America's most renowned designers in celebration of the Inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

The collection includes handbags designed by Diane Von Furstenberg and Tory Burch, T-shirts designed by Zac Posen, Narciso Rodriguez, Donna Karan, Beyonce, Derek Lam, Rachel Roy, Juicy Couture and Gerald Matthews, and a scarf designed by Alexander Wang.

"These designers have all offered their unique talents and vision to capture the excitement and anticipation around the Inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama," said PIC spokesperson Brent Colburn. "We are very thankful for their designs and grateful for their contributions."

The collection is available at the Presidential Inaugural Store located at 625 E Street NW in Washington, DC, or at the PIC Online Store.

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• • • • • • • • • • • Tote Bag by Diane Von Furstenberg, $70 Heavyweight natural cotton canvas tote with reinforced black bottom and straps. Inspiring graphic pattern covers entire front and back of tote. Union Made in the US.

To purchase, visit the Runway To Change website.

Comments

[kimmmmmmmmm]

03:51 PM on 01/19/2009

ugly and overpriced no matter where its made

[rbryanh]

07:49 PM on 01/17/2009

It is so deliciously, quintessentially, cluelessly American to convert every thought, every feeling - every occurrence of any kind - into an opportunity to buy something, preferably something that serves no real purpose and which will be obsolete within hours of its purchase.

If change could be achieved by buying overpriced clothes festooned with sparkles of questionable taste, Texas would have been in the forefront of it for decades.

[ZimboChick]

10:48 PM on 01/16/2009

I would support Rachel Roy. Is Dereon serious?

[Agentlady007]

08:46 PM on 01/16/2009

My mother thinks everyone has a twin on Earth, and says this woman is hers.

[Liberoservative]

08:17 PM on 01/16/2009

"Ladies T by Gerald Matthews, $150
Multi-color crystals sparkle on the front of black, 100% fine jersey cotton T."

Give me a break.... ONE HUNDRED FIFTY dollars for an effing Tshirt????????????? That is one of the biggest problems right now... people thinking that their stuff is worth a thousand or more percent markup.... until we get prices down, we aren't going to see any recovery..........

[PoliticalRockChick]

05:39 PM on 01/16/2009

Buy made in America and keep jobs in America.

[terragazelle60]

03:57 PM on 01/16/2009

I think we need to buy America...those designers put Americans to work. Everything from textile designers and manufactures ...to those that cut the patterns, sew, and do all the rest of the work , even to packing and sending the articles out.
America used to have huge textile works...we don't any longer. It is these high end products that is keeping what we have alive.

Look we can buy Walmart and get alot for little..or we can once in a while buy something that will add jobs to this country.

I could make that Von Furstenberg bag...but that doesn't do much for the USA, and I like the green creations.

[rbryanh]

07:52 PM on 01/17/2009

"I think we need to buy [sic] America..."

That's apparently what the Chinese said, a dozen years ago.

[Nan2008]

11:42 AM on 01/16/2009

I liked those that WERE MADE IN AMERICA...anything that is MADE IN AMERICA, COULD BE VERY COLLECTABLE THESE DAYS.

[sjones66]

09:12 AM on 01/16/2009

I ordered from an independent artist on Zazzle -- I used african/global feeling- inspired cards as happy inauguration Day cards and invites for my inauguration day party.

Right now it doesn't feel right to enrich the rich. There are plenty of wonderful artists who will really appreciate our patronage!

Here's where I got mine:

http://www.zazzle.com/judithsheldon

[OneLiberalLady]

12:08 PM on 01/16/2009

Thank you for the link! I am hosting a brunch and I ordered mugs with headlines from November 5th as favors for the guests.

[ZimboChick]

10:49 PM on 01/16/2009

hmm that is a brilliant idea

[lw500]

12:09 AM on 01/16/2009

it's great it's made in america, but this is a little crazy. Couldn't people use their money to create change? By maybe giving it to charity or something?! If people spent half the time doing something good that they do talking about Obama and buying merchandise, things could get a lot better in this country.

[KarenT]

11:39 PM on 01/15/2009

Just like his campaign signs....made in America.

[lmvd3]

11:33 PM on 01/15/2009

NIce that they're excited for change, but I thought we are all about moving towards austerity and away from materialism??? Isn't that the point that Obama has tried to make? These prices defy logic.

[honeydiva]

10:40 PM on 01/15/2009

or you can be creative and make your own.

[kellygrrrl]

10:33 PM on 01/15/2009

or you could skip the designer garb and go this way

http://shop.cafepress.com/obama

[ChaiKat]

09:09 PM on 01/15/2009

I like a good t-shirt, but no way am I paying these prices for one. Love ya O, but not enough to buy any of these things.