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by Miranda Lim
In the midst of Hollywood’s award season, who would’ve
thought the “it” dress everyone would be talking about would
be by up and coming designer Jason Wu, who designed the
lavish white gown for Michelle Obama for the night of the
inaugural balls. The 26 year-old Taiwanese designer, known
by few until his name was made famous on one of America’s
most memorable days, was specifically asked to make the
dress “sparkle”. With this, Wu was able to visualize the
dress he felt perfectly represented what Michelle Obama
represented. “I knew it had to be white. I wanted it to be
romantic, strong, energetic -- everything Michelle Obama
stands for.” And thus the floor-length, Swarovski crystal
encrusted, one shouldered silk chiffon dress was designed
and made known across the nation as the dress Michelle Obama
chose to wear for one of the biggest nights of her life.
Wu,
who was not aware that his design was being worn for this major
event, was just at home watching TV with some friends when “the
president’s wife came out and she was on the screen and it was my
design and I just dropped everything. I remember saying, ‘that’s
mine’. It was unbelievable. I was screaming, excited, jumping up and
down. In the middle of it all my parents called from Taiwan because
they’d seen it, too. It was like a dream, except not a dream in a
way because I could never have dreamed something like this would
happen."
Since the tidal wave that followed the appearance of the gown, Wu’s
website,
www.jasonwustudio.com, received 4 million hits in one day alone,
only to have more changes made to it to modify his increasing
popularity.
Who would have thought that a young and talented Asian designer's
reputation would change so drastically from one of history’s
proudest milestones. This only goes to show that if an African
American can take office as President and an Asian fashion
designer’s career can sky rocket with the help of one dress, all in
the matter of the same day, anything is possible.
Credits:
Teen Vogue; Telegraph.co.uk
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