London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

We’re going to miss Melania Trump’s sense of personal style

We’re going to miss Melania Trump’s sense of personal style

Say what you will about her aloof personality, mishaps and tone-deaf remarks, the US first lady knew how to look a million bucks. From Chanel to Dior to Gucci, we recall some of her most memorable outfits.

The Trump administration is nearing the end of its four-year run, and the one thing that we are going to miss is first lady Melania Trump’s unparalleled fashion sense. Well, that of her stylist, Hervé Pierre.

Say what you will about her aloof personality, occasional mishaps (remember the “I really don’t care” jacket?) and tone-deaf remarks (“Who gives a f*** about Christmas stuff”), but as a first lady, the former model knew how to look like a million bucks (in 2017 she wore a US$51,000 Dolce & Gabbana coat
in Sicily).

From Jackie Kennedy in the 1960s to modern-day first ladies like Michelle Obama, the personal style of the female spouses of US presidents has always been a point of contention – and a source of fascination – for the public.

Men are rarely subjected to this type of scrutiny, but women are aware that their outfit choices are fair game for political – and fashion – pundits eager to dissect the tiniest detail of their look.


US first lady Melania Trump and Chinese counterpart Peng Liyuan in Beijing.


“You’ll see I wear only grey or blue suits,” former US President Barack Obama said about his fashion sense (or lack thereof) in a 2012 interview with glossy Vanity Fair. “I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.”

Needless to say, the same standards don’t apply to women in the public sphere, from those in office such as Hillary Clinton or Nancy Pelosi, to political consorts like Michelle Obama – who always made a point of letting her clothes add to the conversation. Sometimes loudly, other times less so.

Truth be told, some of the previous first lady’s choices were not always spot on, but whether she wore an affordable J. Crew cardigan to make herself relatable or a Versace gown at a state dinner for Italy, she knew how to play the fashion diplomacy game.

Melania Trump, on the other hand, has never been afraid of alienating constituencies with her pricey frocks and collections of ultra luxurious Hermès bags.

Approachable is not a word in her fashion lexicon.

She is a true clothes horse, and her expensive taste is the epitome of what a privileged woman who jets between Manhattan and Palm Beach wears to look fabulous.


Melania Trump takes part in the opening ceremony for the Healing Garden at the Children’s National Medical Centre in Washington.


She is a fan of fashion with a capital F: Dior, Chanel, Gucci, Valentino – the list goes on and on, and doesn’t include as many American designers as you might think. Although a strong allegiance to US brands is expected of US first ladies, “Make America Great Again” clearly doesn’t seem to apply to Melania Trump’s Italian- and French-leaning wardrobe.

For her, looking good is paramount, and that she has managed to pull off impeccable outfit after impeccable outfit over four years of public engagements is no small feat. Here’s a look at some of her most memorable.


Melania Trump wore a US$2,190 dress with balloon sleeves from Roksanda Ilincic on the first day of the Republican National Convention in 2016.


Before becoming first lady, Melania Trump made a grand entrance at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. For her first high-profile speech, she wore a US$2,190 white dress with balloon sleeves from London-based Serbian designer Roksanda Ilincic.


Melania Trump wore a white gown created by Hervé Pierre at the Inauguration Freedom Ball in 2017.


Trump is a fan of white, which complements her bronzed complexion, and wore a white gown created by French-born, New York-based designer Hervé Pierre at the Inauguration Freedom Ball in Washington in January 2017.

Pierre is also her trusted stylist.

The first lady wore a cashmere dress and matching suede gloves from Ralph Lauren for Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.

For the swearing-in ceremony at the Inauguration, the first lady braved the Washington cold clad in a sky-blue cashmere dress and matching suede gloves from all-American designer Ralph Lauren, who has also dressed Trump rival Hillary Clinton for many high-profile engagements.


The first lady wore a US$51,000 Dolce & Gabbana coat for a G7 appearance in Sicily.


Melania Trump made headlines when she wore a US$51,000 Dolce & Gabbana coat for a G7 appearance in Sicily, the Mediterranean island long associated with the brand. Unlike many designers who have kept a low profile when dressing the first lady or outright refused to dress her, Dolce & Gabbana’s co-founder Stefano Gabbana has always been open about his support for her.


The first lady wore a US$1,380 plaid shirt from Balmain for an event at the White House in 2017.


For an event with children from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington at the White House kitchen garden in 2017, Melania Trump showed up in a “gardening outfit” that included a US$1,380 plaid shirt from French label Balmain, a favourite of the Kardashian family and French first lady Brigitte Macron.


Melania Trump chats with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz al-Saud at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh.


When she visited Saudi Arabia in 2017, the first lady flouted local customs and opted out of the customary head coverings women wear in the country. She still managed to look modest and chic in a black Stella McCartney pantsuit accessorised with an oversized gold belt from French label Saint Laurent.


Melania Trump wore a Gucci dress for a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in 2017.


For her most high-profile engagement during a visit to China in 2017 – a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing – Melania Trump paid homage to her host country with a Chinese-inspired embroidered black dress featuring fur cuffs. The maker of the piece is yet another Italian label: Gucci.


The first lady chose Chanel for a state dinner at the White House in Washington in 2018 in honour of France.


Melania Trump chose a quintessential French brand, Chanel, for a state dinner at the White House in Washington in 2018 in honour of France. The shimmering couture gown embellished with silver sequins was a nice counterpoint to French first lady Macron’s white and gold dress from Louis Vuitton.


The first lady wore a Ralph Lauren pantsuit paired with a Chanel blouse and a panama hat for a 2018 trip to Egypt.


For a 2018 trip to Egypt, where she toured the pyramids in Giza, the first lady created the perfect photo op with an Out of Africa-themed mannish ensemble that included a Ralph Lauren pantsuit paired with a Chanel blouse and a panama hat.


The first lady’s Zara jacket with the phrase “I really don’t care. Do U?” stunned the world.


Melania Trump stunned the world when she wore a Zara jacket emblazoned with the words “I really don’t care. Do U?” on her way to visit immigrant children at a detention centre on the US-Mexico border. According to reports, the jab was directed at the “fake news media”. This was a rare instance in which she overtly used her clothes to send a message (and also a rare sighting of her in a “cheap and chic” high-street brand).


Melania Trump complemented Queen Elizabeth’s white gown by wearing a white evening dress with matching gloves from Dior.


Attending a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in London to celebrate diplomatic ties between the US and the UK, Melania Trump complemented Queen Elizabeth’s white gown by wearing a white evening dress with matching gloves from French couture house Dior.


For her speech during the 2020 Republican Convention, Trump chose a look with military undertones from Alexander McQueen.


The demure white dress of her first convention appearance in 2016 was a distant memory four years later. At her speech in the White House Rose Garden
during the 2020 Republican Convention, the first lady chose a sharp tailored look with military undertones from British brand Alexander McQueen.


This year, Melania Trump cast her ballot clad in a summery dress from Gucci.


Criticised for not wearing a mask amid the coronavirus pandemic on Election Day earlier this month in Florida, Melania Trump cast her ballot clad in a summery dress from Gucci paired with one of those covetable Hermès bags that she is so fond of. Little did she know that her reign as one of the most stylish first ladies in US history would be cut short after only one term.

Comments

Henron Trupett 5 year ago
Melania is just a candied fruit with appendages for Trump; she will probably be walking soon.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×