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

[lynettema]

My mama always told me that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Take heed, Oscar. We like the way Michelle dresses. It is fresh and new, not old and stodgy which is what I find most high fashion to be. Come up with some exciting designs, maybe she will give you a look.

[biged242]

Oscar de la Renta and Jason Wu in a steel cage match fight to the finish (with cudgels) on pay-per-view!

[livefreest]

strange way to get first lady to wear american haute couture! how can she now wear couture without seeming to be a walking frivolous ad campaign?

[GAPeach99]

Way to win over an important potential new client, Oscar. I'm sure she'll be ringing you up right away.

[loggerboots]

and you can buy Oscar De la Renta at TJ Max

[MarilynWilliams]

Oscar de la Renta -Who cares what you told "Woman's Wear Daily".

Poor American's are in a financial mess. Nothing you make looks valuable. Do not hate because she is being cost conscience and has a style sense of her own. I, like Mrs. Obama, think J. Crew is very stylish. Maybe you should pay closer attention to today's not so rich & J.Crew.

Maybe if more American's were like Mrs. Obama the Country would not be in the mess that it is in. I am forced to believe that her objective is to help all American's by showing you do not have to spend millions to look good. You must admit she looks very grand in anything she wears.

I am sure you are not interested in my opinion as I am not interested in your opinion of our very stylish First Lady. Find your own First Lady and dress her as you please and leave ours alone. The African American Women are very, very, proud of our First Lady and like her style.

Maybe she likes cardigans. Maybe she tends to be chilly at times. Would it have been ok if YOU had designed her dress and cardigan?

I plan to email her and request she never purchase anything from you. I feel she is owed an apology. Remember in the future not to cut off your nose to spite your face. I would have thought you were more professional than to make such a negative comment.

[nanton29]

I am not a fashionista, but I get the impression that most high end designers cater for the pencil thin collar-bone -protruding types. I am sure Oscar can find lots of those in Hollyweird.

[loggerboots]

Only an old queen like de la renta would know how to dress,to visit another old queen. i agree Michelles outfit was aweful,dump the new designers.Stick with the talents of vera wang and donna karan. And screw the republican designers,lauren,hilfinger,and herrera. Possibly calvin klein,a great choice. i think michelles motto is "What can be done can be over done"

[Martampa]

You are too funny! I agree with everything you said.

[CharInOhio]

Oh those designers are Republicans? Really? Thanks for the info.....now I know which designer fashions to buy !!!! I always wondered about that !!!!

[unkn1]

I'm not sure who this guy is, but I think I got my tux for my wedding from Oscar de la Tuxedo Rental.

[Laura Vailas]

Please keep in mind, folks, that Michelle Obama must pay for her clothing. She is no longer employed--she resigned from a most impressive job; the family has lost her portion of the family income. They have two children to educate. She is required to look appropriate and stylish all the time. as she represents us to the world. Michelle Obama works out daily, looks fabulous in anything and makes the U.S.A. proud. She has become a fashion icon doing what she is doing. Please give her a break- we are extremely fortunate that Michelle is there to do her part to represent the United States of America internationally!

[lesnouveauxpauvre]

"You dont go to Buckingham Palace is a sweater"..touche Oscar right on the mark. I'm sorry but you cant have it both ways, Michelle(and all your supporters). You cant say you dont follow the fashion labels, then turnaround and dress yourself so blandly, then complain when "real" designers who have credibility and knowledge slam your idiosyncratic choices. Michelle Obama and I will put this as nice as I can, out of respect for the first lady, has no intuitive style. She isnt a fashion icon, and it would be much wiser for her and the media to not focus on an area she isnt favored with! She is awkward at best, and isnt stlyish ok? But, who cares, she is the first lady, not the first lady of American fashion. Why does the media insist on trying to elevate her to the level of Jackie O! Jackie O was from a privaledged aristocratic /pedigreed background. She was schooled in France, she was a debutante, she was a fashion icon. Please dont try and make somebody what they arent, I know it is very fashionable for people to say or think they are fashionable nowadays. Michelle Obama knows nothing about nor seems to care about the fashion milieu and again would be wise to ignore or down play this area. Why must everyone be a fashionista these days, they arent. Very few people have good fashion sense, and no amount of Fashion reality tv shows is going to change this.

[Revelation]

Oh be quiet! Who in the world are you?

[osusana]

So. Let me be sure I understand you: Jackie O was "pedigreed". Jackie O was schooled in France. Jackie O was a debutante. Lovely. SO WHAT? Michelle Obama is also "pedigreed". She is the very authentic daughter of a loving American family - pedigree enough for most of us. Michelle was not schooled in a French finishing school, she earned her law degree from no less an institution than Harvard. Michelle was not a debutante - which many of us (perhaps most??) count as a positive. Michelle "knows nothing not seems to care about the fashion millieu..." THANK GOD!

We have a First Lady who is first and foremost an authentic American woman, a daughter, sister, wife, mother. Her fashion choices are so completely irrelevant in the overall scheme of things: she is a beautiful, gracious, intelligent woman who speaks to the hearts of people all over the world - REAL people, not fashionistas!

[livefreest]

you really believe Michelle Obama is complaining about fashion designers' comments? lol
are you sure she actually heard about this?

[lbolle]

I could not disagree more. Her fashion choices make her look like a beautiful, strong American woman.

As an American woman, I completely identify with her. I work hard and don't have time to be soaking my fingers in olive oil every night, or coiffing my hair for an hour each day before I head out the door. The fact that she wasn't a deb and didn't go to finishing school doesn't mean she's "awkward". It just means she's got more important stuff to do.

So -- given that, her choices are perfectly in step with her busy life and she looks amazing while she goes about it. In fact, she's blown a hole into the whole fashionista scam by choosing practical, affordable pieces that every woman can wear. She's not letting herself be conned into that whole mess. Hmm, can I think of another fashion icon who had the same instinct? Can you say Coco Chanel?

I am so tired of Western European women turning their noses up at the fashion choices we American women make. We wear color, we're comfortable and we've got stuff to do. Okay? We don't have time to sit around and drink espresso all day, turning our noses up at the people who walk by. At least, not until the weekend.

By the way, proper punctuation never goes out of style.

[ruthinking]

Michelle Obama is a fashion icon. Everyone wants to know what she is wearing, how she looks in it, and what parts we can adopt in our own looks. That is the definition of an icon.

But I don't believe Mrs. Obama is trying to be an icon. Rather, she is a woman who has fun with her clothes and that is obviously her goal. I love it, and her.

[Overlady]

Who cares about Oscar de la Renta's opinion. His designs are horrible. They look like ruffled curtains.

[silva66]

I applaud Michelle Obama for wearing what she wants, but please...that bow is hideous!

[livefreest]

lol.. you applaud her but that bow is hideous?

[generationyes]

One more try, since apparently my previous comment didn't make the censors' cut. All those "top" designers are suddenly outraged that the first African American first lady doesn't wear their stuff have not done such a good job using African American models on the runway. What de la Renta is miffed about is that Michelle doesn't lavish some of her fame on him, so he can benefit from the publicity. Since she won't, he has settled for Plan B, slamming her publicly so he gets his name in the paper anyway.

[GAPeach99]

Hi-five!

[livefreest]

but has he actually tried to send her some of his creations?

[helgathewitch]

Oscar, are you having financial difficulties? Has your ego gotten the best of you? Take your designer duds and stuff them. She is the First Lady of the United States so I would say she can wear whatever she wants and doesn't need you to chime in.

[vetonow]

I agree, these major designers are filthy rich and as far as I know, they do not design for everyday people, they design for celebrities and bigwigs. When they begin connecting with everyone, then Michelle may begin to wear them because she seems to care more about everyday folk than any other FLOTUS except maybe Eleanor Roosevelt (nice company)!

[nanton29]

Well said. I am sure if MO decided to wear expensive clothing to every outing, we would be hearing from detractors about her extravagance in the face of economic uncertainty. Some how I believe MO is not concerned with all that furor over her clothing.

[Urbanbarbie943]

She should wear whatever she likes and wants.

[Nora-Charles]

She is the wife of the president, not a display window. Good grief.