Melania Trump’s Fashion Choices Spark Debate Ahead of Second Term

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Melania Trump prepares to reprise her role as first lady, her fashion choices are once again under scrutiny. The Slovenian-born former model, known for her preference for European luxury brands, has sparked conversations about the role of fashion in political messaging and the expectations placed on first ladies.

During her husband’s first term, Melania Trump often opted for high-end designers like Christian Dior, Valentino, and Versace, a departure from the American-made focus of previous first ladies. Her wardrobe choices, while impeccably styled, were often seen as lacking the symbolic depth that characterized the fashion of Michelle Obama or Jill Biden. Notable exceptions included a pussy-bow blouse worn days after her husband’s controversial comments about women surfaced in 2016 and a Zara jacket emblazoned with the phrase “I really don’t care, do u?” during a visit to an immigrant children’s shelter in 2018.

“I believe that if you are associated with an elected official and representing American workers, you should prioritize that in your decisions about what to buy,” said New York-based designer Nina McLemore, whose designs have been worn by Hillary Clinton and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. “Whether she likes it or not, she has a responsibility to represent the constituency that elected her husband.”

Melania Trump’s fashion choices have also been influenced by the fashion industry’s reluctance to engage with her due to her husband’s divisive politics. Independent designer Sophie Theallet publicly refused to dress her in 2016, and other designers like Marc Jacobs and Christian Siriano expressed similar sentiments. As a result, Trump often turned to off-the-rack pieces from retailers like Net-a-Porter, according to Kate Bennett, CNN’s former White House correspondent and author of the biography “Free, Melania.”

“Melania was coming off the back of Michelle Obama, who really viewed fashion as an art form,” Bennett said. “She was also lacking the backbone of what the industry wanted to reflect, which was not, quite frankly, the policies of her husband.”

As Trump prepares for her husband’s second term, the question of how she will approach fashion remains unanswered. While some smaller, emerging designers may be eager to dress her, Bennett speculates that Trump is unlikely to seek out such collaborations. “She’s driven by the beauty of clothes,” Bennett said. “She’s into what she likes, what looks good, what her taste is.”

Nichola D. Gutgold, a professor and member of the First Ladies Association for Research and Education, predicts that Melania Trump may take a more subdued approach this time around. “I think events will be carefully chosen, and the schedule will be much lighter,” Gutgold said. “Maybe she won’t need as large a wardrobe as a very active first lady.”

Throughout history, first ladies have faced intense scrutiny over their fashion choices, often held to a higher standard than their male counterparts. From Nancy Reagan’s expensive wardrobe to Rosalynn Carter’s decision to re-wear a dress, the role of the first lady has always been fraught with expectations. Even Jackie Kennedy, celebrated for her timeless style, occasionally eschewed the unwritten mandate of wearing American designers.

For Melania Trump, the challenge is compounded by her husband’s polarizing presidency. “She’s beautiful and dresses in a high-fashion way,” McLemore said. “So people are going to comment on her, her clothes, no matter what.”

As the world watches the inauguration of Donald Trump’s second term, Melania Trump’s fashion choices will undoubtedly remain a topic of conversation. Whether she embraces American designers or continues to favor European luxury, her wardrobe will continue to serve as a window into her role as first lady—a role that, for better or worse, is as much about image as it is about substance.