Ivanka, Usha in Oscar de la Renta for inauguration events

Back in 2017, few American designers were willing to create custom pieces for the women in Donald Trump’s circle—or even publicly acknowledge when Melania or Ivanka Trump showed up in their dresses at official events. (Melania’s stylist and personal designer, Herve Pierre, has said in interviews that he often bought pieces of the rack for her as a result.) But nearly a decade later, fashion is warming up to the Trumps.

In the days leading up to Monday’s inauguration, as the new administration celebrated in Washington, DC, Ivanka Trump and future Second Lady Usha Vance appeared at celebrity events in tailored gowns from New York-based label Oscar de la Renta. Vance wore a tailored, strapless velvet gown to the vice presidential dinner Saturday night at the National Gallery of Art, while Ivanka Trump wore an off-the-shoulder crystal and beaded gown to the inaugural Candlelight Dinner Sunday night. Oscar de la Renta’s social channels shared photos behind the scenes of the making of Ivanka’s ornate dress, as they often do for other custom-designed red carpets. Ivanka also wore Oscar de la Renta on Sunday afternoon to a ceremony at Arlington Cemetary, where she appeared in a camel coat with floral appliqués.

Photo: Eric Thayer/Getty Images

Then, on Monday, Vance took Oscar back to the big event, attending the dedication ceremony in what the label described as a “custom peony cashmere coat with scarf wrap and complementing tea dress,” which featured an interesting tucked-in scarf. . (Certainly a sunnier choice than Melania Trump’s austere navy coat and kiss-rejecting hat.)

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While Melania often chose to wear foreign designers during her husband’s first administration, Ivanka wore Oscar de la Renta several times during his inauguration events in 2017, as did her children. All of which leads to the question: will Oscar de la Renta lose any customers because of his embrace of the Trumps? Of course, it’s too early to tell, especially considering the brand has a long history of dressing First Ladies on both sides of the political spectrum.

The label’s current designers, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, were also behind one of the most memorable political fashion moments last year when they created the deconstructed sleeveless jacket Michelle Obama wore to the Democratic National Convention in August under their independent label, Monse. “We are honored to dress such an inspiring leader,” the label wrote on Instagram at the time.

Photo: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

Another independent American designer label, Sergio Hudson, has proved popular with the new administration. Usha Vance wore one of the designer’s coats to the Arlington Cemetery ceremony on Sunday. He notably dressed Vice President Kamala Harris several times during her tenure, including on Inauguration Night in 2021. “More than an honor as always to dress this amazing trailblazing woman,” the brand wrote on Instagram as Harris wore a custom sequin dress in 2023. However, Vance’s white coat has yet to be announced on the brand’s socials. A source close to the brand said she bought it off the rack.

This post has been updated.