Oscar de la Renta Slams Michelle Obama's Buckingham Outfit As Major Designers Feel Ignored

While Michelle Obama has made lesser known designers like Jason Wu, Thakoon, and Isabel Toledo household names by wearing their labels repeatedly--the first lady has worn Jason Wu at least three times on her European trip alone--WWD asks where the love has gone for big name designers like Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren. Bridget Foley writes that it would be a great boost to a fashion industry in economic crisis.

And it sounds like some designers are getting downright cranky.

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"American fashion right now is struggling," says Oscar de la Renta. "I think I understand what [Obama and her advisers] are doing, but I don't think that is the right message at this particular point....I don't object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it's wrong to go in one direction only."

He also took a jab at the outfit the first lady wore to meet Queen Elizabeth: "'You don't...go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.'"

Donna Karan took a more positive tone:

"I hope and believe that this is just a moment," says Karan. "And I hope to be able to dress her, and not only dress her but address her, sit down -- I'm interested in her totality as a woman."

And Vera Wang also weighed in:

"I love seeing young designers and their vision and how they grow and all of that," she says. "On the other hand, of course, I wish she would consider some of us, because I think we also have contributions to make."

Do you think Michelle Obama should branch out and wear the bigger luxury labels?

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Comments

[Majikwoman]

Seems to me like the Queen didn't seem to mind how Michelle looked and I am wondering why it should be such a big thing to anyone out there in the real world. Don't you people have other things to worry about like the economy, wars and global warming. Let Michelle Obama do what she does best ... be REAL. It is effective and it is truthful and it is good to see someone approachable in the White House.
Michelle, I say if the Queen can hug you when she NEVER does that to anyone else, you must be doing something right. So keep being the real you. It is a pleasant change for America.

[NancyCinNY]

I'm not worried about which designers she's wearing... she just needs to get a full length mirror, or a three-way mirror. And yes, a sweater to visit Buckingham Palace was ill-considered. I imagine Michelle has a perfectly lovely suit or two in the luggage. Whomever advised her to wear a cardigan to meet the Queen should be out of a job, and she needs to think harder re: who am I meeting with today? Is it Barack's first speech in front of Congress and it's winter, well maybe sleeveless is a stupid idea? She often looks fantastic, so it's all the more jolting when she goes off track!

[Pleneras]

They are correct. At first I thought they were jealous, but they know exactly what they are talking about. Someone does need to address Michele on her highbelt, 3 sizes too small sweaters, dresses with too small cuts on top making her look extra big on the bottom. She needs to get away from Toledo!

[C65]

To all of you Fashion Experts out there!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe you not only have nothing else to worry about but your prioities aren't the
same as Michele or mine,not only what gives you the right to dictate what she
wears and to what,but when she was struggling along as an ordinary woman
with a career as most of us,you offered no assistance what-so ever,now you want
to dictate what and where she should wear something.
It was ordinary people who supported her husbands Presidency and we are
the same consumers that can afford the clothes she wears.So,g­o back to your
expensive clothes and the Elite class you've been catering to and leave Michele,
her clothe and designer choices as well as us her admirers the HELL ALONE.

[4AKA1908]

Seriously you people need to get a life there are other pressing issues to be dealt with in the world

[PoliSci2008]

4AKA, yeah and that's what President Barak is for...

Cardigans are for meeting the school children or military wives, not Heads of State.

You don't go to a job interview in your designer jogging suit, now do you?

[munki]

He just lost many of consumers.­..

Very insensitiv­e...

I do not like his design anyway... haughty

[sandals]

Who cares, what she wears she looks good and he seems a little jealous.

[Genevieve Aquino]

To easily solve the issue with high-end designers, why don't these just give Michelle Obama your clothes FOR FREE. Come on! as if the high-end designers couldn't afford to give her free stuff, they do it all the time to the other insignificant celebrities. If President Obama and the First Lady or the American Public are footing the bill, they've got to put things in perspective.

How many First Ladies were ever been so candidly accomodated by the Queen anyway? Time to wake up from your la-la-land.

[londonlikes]

michelle should drop the jcrew act.. i don't buy it at all. total political act trying to avoid looking like sarah palin. who i dont like, but she deserved those nice clothes. the french president's girl has style! wow. she always looked fantastic, classy, and confident.

[Pleneras]

Bruni wears some beautiful european designer outfits, suits that are just gorgeous.

[cre8ive]

Let's see. Michelle is not lining the pockets of over-indulged, overpriced, and overexposed designers. She has chosen instead to use up and coming American designers. She and the President are using their own money to redecorate their White House living space instead of wasting taxpayer dollars. She requires the first children to make their own beds, and planted an organic vegetable garden in the "back yard." I'm afraid she's too normal for the snooty, whiny, and very small Mr. de la Renta. And what a shame the very liberal Donna Karan and Vera Wang cannot appreciate a woman's right to choose in this matter.

[C65]

cre8ive,
AGREE ALL THE WAY ALONG WITH THE FACT THESE ARE THE REPUBLICANS
THAT ALWAYS CRYING ABOUT SPENDING.N­OT TO SAY THEY ARE CHRISTIAN
CONSERVATIVES:WELL WAKE UP YOU SO CALL CHRISTIANS;GOD IS WATCHING
WHAT ARE YOU SHOWING HIM?YOU CARE MORE ABOUT WHAT THE QUEEN
THINKS,THAN YOUR HIGHER JUDGE,SOME CHRISTIANS­.I KNEW ALL
ALONE YOU PEOPLE WAS AS FONNY AS A $4.00 BILL.

[aicon]

Sorry but the designers are right. When you have such a public image you have to let the professionals address the important occasions.
Michelle, experiment with the new designers at home, but on the worlds stage and in presence of a queen, you ought to know better.
For that matter, Conoleezza Rice, as much as I hate her lying face, she dressed quite well for her role.
She could have saved in shoes, but her outfits were classy.

[runjohnrun]

Oh, Oscar... self pity is so last season.

[Sundance7]

Maybe if Michelle Obama ever meets Oacar de la Yenta in person she will have another chance to impress an old queen.

[aes5678]

Cry me a river Vera.

[CharInOhio]

I think America needs to stick with REAL ISSUES....­..the fact we have a messed up economy, the stupid policies her husband is pushing through, and NOT the American Idol and America's Next Top Model stuff....H­ad I voted for either of those two candidates­....it would not have been the Obama's...­.Oh wait....I didn't vote for them as President either. Guess I knew really "important" things wouldn't matter much to them....af­ter all....Ame­rica is such a "mean country"..­..its easier just to try and shove that under the rug while trying to be fashionable and charm the Queen and Europe. I hope there is room in Europe for them in the admin over there come 2012....th­ey will need a job :)

[dee1984]

Gee Oscar I ALWAYS insult someone when I want them to work with me, I find that approach always works best.

[starrianna]

What did Karl Lagerfeld have to say, waving his crazy fan? Is he still alive?
I thought Oscar de la Renta had already passed on to fashion heaven.