First lady Michelle Obama looked stunning in a red Jason Wu gown at the inaugural balls on Monday night. Michelle wore a white Jason Wu gown to the inaugural ball in 2009 and she dazzled in this years bright red and flowy halter style version.
Wu is a Taiwanese-born designer who launched his own line in 2006 had been gaining popularity but became a literal overnight sensation when the first lady donned a stunning white one shoulder silk gown for the 2009 event. His looks are elegant and beautiful and known for bright, yet, classy colors with classic lines.
Wu spoke with CBS This morning about Michelle Obama choosing to wear his gown for the 2013 inauguration ball for her husband, Barack Obama. "I was still at my studio designing the fall collection that I'm presenting in less than three weeks," Wu said Tuesday on "CBS This Morning." "So I was actually with my team, which was really nice."
"When I saw it, I was just floored," he said. "I just couldn't believe that she chose me for the second time ... I am so proud of it."
Wu explained to CBS This Morning that he sent in a couple sketches but only made one dress and that the process was collaborative. "I sent a couple sketches but we only made one dress. Red was what came to my head right away ... As a designer I always have to trust my instincts.
Last time, she didn't [make suggestions], but this time I said, 'I think red is a really good color' and they said, 'Well, Mrs. Obama thinks red is a good color too ... I guess we were in sync from the beginning," he said.
The white gown that the first lady wore to the 2009 inaugural balls is now on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
"People have always looked at what the first lady wears," said exhibit curator Lisa Kathleen Graddy to Voice of America. "She's a very public figure. She belongs to us. She represents us, and so we're interested in how she presents herself."
Wu told the Daily Beast that he has refined his craft and grown his business since Michelle Obama first donned the stunning white number he designed in 2009. "I've just refined my skills and grown my business," he said to The Daily Beast. He noted that the "Jason Wu woman" has become "a little sexier, a little more provocative, and a lot more womanly."
