First lady Melania Trump presented her 2025 inaugural gown to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History on Friday — the first first lady to have two inaugural gowns exhibited in the museum.
“This is not a dress. This is more than 50 years of education, experience and wisdom realized with each thread, each stitch, each sharp edge,” she said.
She thanked Herve Pierre — who has designed fashions for four first ladies — and Harry Winston for their collaboration and inspiration to create the black-and-white strapless gown and diamond neckpiece.
“The beautiful contrast between black and white sets a mood rich with emotion. American imagination appears in different creative forms, across all types of canvases — and often serves up a clear perspective,” said Mrs. Trump, a former fashion model. “This dress speaks with a distinct point of view — a modern silhouette, bold and dignified, and ruthlessly chic.”
She applauded her team of patternmakers, seamstresses and artisans who transformed a “creative idea into reality.”
Mrs. Trump said that the human condition is captured within every stitch, showcasing “America’s pure spirit of originality, superior engineering and boundless creativity.”
“It’s a statement as to why America’s fashion industry can lead the rest of the world,” she added.
Mrs. Trump recently released a documentary, “Melania,” which prominently featured the strapless white dress with its black “Z”- shaped motif on the front bodice.
Her gown will be immortalized in the museum’s First Ladies Collection.
She previously gifted the museum the off-shoulder dress that she wore in 2017.
“The art of presenting oneself can be cultivated over a lifetime, yet even the young girl who takes care of herself from the inside out with precision every morning, leaves for school with a more confident step, and a steady gaze — confident to claim her place in the world,” she said. “This spark pays dividends and stays with her for a lifetime.”
• Mary McCue Bell can be reached at mbell@washingtontimes.com.
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