Melania Trump: Jean Paul Gaultier says he would be happy to dress future First Lady
French designer believes politics should be detached from fashion
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Your support makes all the difference.Melania Trump is finding the choice of designers available to her rapidly diminishing. The former model no doubt expected that her common ground with fashion houses and her new standing as the wife of the President-elect would see designers rushing to dress her.
But the opposite has been the case.
America’s next First Lady has been told by Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs and Sophie Theallet in unequivocal terms that their doors are firmly closed to her. Designers Phillip Lim, Derek Lam and Joseph Altuzarra have also vocalised their objections to dressing her.
However, renowned French designer Jean Paul Gaultier has said he would be happy to dress Ms Trump, insisting the political should be separated from the sartorial in fashion.
“If you have to be truly political, there are probably a few people you can dress,” Gautier, who is known for his seminal haute couture collections, told the Press Association at the British Fashion Awards. “She dresses very well by herself, I have nothing bad to say against her, it's not a question of politics.
“She was better dressed than Hillary (Clinton), when she went to vote she was in her camel coat and white dress and was beautiful. I don't know who advises her or maybe it's herself, but if she asked me to dress her, why not? Definitely. It's not my objective but why not?”
Jacobs said he had "no interest" in dressing Ms Trump while American designer Ford explained he could not dress someone who does not reflect him.
“I was asked to dress her quite a few years ago and I declined. She’s not necessarily my image,” Ford, who dressed Michelle Obama once in 2011, told The View on Wednesday.
“Other than the fact that I am a democrat, I voted for Hillary and I’m very sad and disappointed that she’s not in office, even if Hillary had won she shouldn’t be wearing my clothes, they’re too expensive. I don’t mean that in a bad way and they’re not artificially expensive, it’s how much it costs to make these things. I think [the First Lady has] to relate to anybody.
“Michelle I dressed once when she was going to Buckingham Palace and having dinner with the Queen, and that I thought was appropriate. And it was an honour to dress her.”
Thallet detailed her refusal to dress Ms Trump more fully in an open letter explaining the clothing brand favoured by Ms Obama rejects discrimination and prejudice.
Thallet's stance was also more personal: as an immigrant, she said she was “blessed” with the opportunity to work in the US.
“The rhetoric of racism, sexism and xenophobia unleashed by her husband's presidential campaign are incompatible with the shared values we live by. I encourage my fellow designers to do the same. Integrity is our only true currency.”
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