Is Michelle Obama the E.F. Hutton of Fashion?
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 9:50AM Not since Jacqueline Kennedy has there been a First Lady who has influenced fashion in mainstream society like Michelle Obama.
For the recent Whitehouse State dinner, she and her Chicago based "unofficial" stylist Ikram Goldman, chose a gown exclusively designed for her by Naeem Khan, which has made him a design star overnight. For most people outside the fashion world, the name Naeem Khan doesn't sound familiar, but he's designed dresses for Hollywood and Music celebrities such as Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Katherine Heigel and for Queen Noor of Jordan, but none of those names put him on the map like The First Lady has.
Reminiscent of the old T.V. ad "When E.F. Hutton talks people listen", the same can be said with Mrs. Obama's fashion choices, ranging from her inaugural outfits, what she wears to tea with the queen of England, even to what she travels in on Air Force One. It is undeniable that she influences fashion, whether it's her signature cardigan or belt ensembles (Carrie Bradshaw, in the SATC movie was wearing the signature belt look a good year before Mrs. Obama)
, to making J.Crew sell out of an outfit that she wore on Jay Leno's tonight show. You know when one makes the cover of Vogue, Anna Wintour is making a commentary about their fashion or their influence on 
it. French Elle just named her the most chic political figure on their best dressed list beating out the President of France Nicolas Sarkozy's wife, Carla Bruni. Every major fashion blog follows and reports on her style choices and there are even a few fan based websites dedicated to her every outfit. I don't recall Laura, Hilary or Barbara having such a fashion following of fans.
So, let me ask you, does Mrs. Obama have the same type of iconic style staying power as Jackie Kennedy, or is it another brilliant part of the Obama marketing machine that created this "style persona" that always has the world buzzing?
Your thoughts and comments please!
Jargan
Looks like Douglas Hannant is not on the Michelle Obama fashion bandwagon! 
When he was being interviewed by Toni Rubenstein Schneier during her House of Faith & Fashion discussion at The Plaza's Caudalie Spa, his response was the following:
"Everyone compares her to Jackie O -- she is not the next Jackie O," sniped designer Douglas Hannant.
Geez, tell us how you really feel, maybe he's a Republican!
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Reader Comments (6)
She is to proper First Lady fashion what Hilary was to the pant suit. Team Michelle all the way.
mmm...."...or is it another brilliant part of the Obama marketing machine that created this "style persona" that always has the world buzzing?"..yes it is, for me.
Michelle is elegant, she choose the right colors that highlight herself, she's slender and tall and this help so much , but the most FashionFirst Lady for me is Queen Rania http://twitpic.com/photos/queenrania .. " De gustibus non disputandum est "... ;)
OK this is a joke right? Is Michelle Obama the E.F. Hutton of Fashion? “NOT “she is supposed to show dignity, but show shows her arm pits and arms all the time. She hardly ever wears cloths that have sleeves. What exactly is she trying to tell the world? The colors are way too loud, and she dresses like a hobo when she's not at an event. When she went to England she wore cloths that were so inappropriate and then touched the Queen of England. She is not a classy person... and she doesn't even like America she said so herself... When her husband Barrack Hussein Obama was running. The loony left media wants another Jackie O. YUCK! ZERO fashion sense.
Sadly I wasn't around when Jackie O was living in the White House with JFK. I remember seeing pictures of her & her fashion over the years when she got older. She was a very lovely, perfectly put together woman who had very lovely fashion taste & even in style while playing with her children when not busy meeting with world leaders. I do see Michelle closely mirroring the late Jackie O in a new era with new fashions. In my opinion I think Jackie would be proud that finally a First Lady long after her has some good fashion sense.
As a first lady should be. Classic,in every sense of the word.
"Cloths" and all. :)