Michelle Obama Watch

can’t win. be happy that they triumphed and are in the white house and that michelle isnt parading around like a prima donna. her outfits rock….black designer or not….i wonder how many women in the baa wear ‘african designers’……foolish!!

“But if you are going to have Isabel Toledo do the inauguration dress, and Jason Wu do the evening gown, why not have Kevan Hall, B Michael, Stephen Burrows or any of the other black designers do something too?”

Do something where? There was the day dress and the ball gown. Whatever, there will always be Uncle Ruckus’ and Klansman.

i imagine that kind of attitude won’t get their calls returned by the first lady’s office anytime soon. sure it would have been nice to see her in something by a black designer but to cop that kind of attitude over it publicly is stupid, and reflects far worse on ms. eele and her organization than on mrs. obama.

I believe that Sasha and Malia Obama’s dresses that were worn on Election Night (November 4, 2009) were designed and prepared by African American women desingers.

Perhaps this could be verified and this would appropriately satisfy the BAA.

Barack and Michelle Obama are the President and First Lady of the United States, not the Black United States. Moreover, fashion is a very individual matter, one of personal taste. It may be that the current Black fashion designers are not producing anything that specifically appeals to Mrs. Obama. She should not be required to wear the clothes of any designer simply because of his or her color.

By the way, I’ve noted on this site before that the designers she has patronized are either immigrants or men and women of immigrant ancestry. Maria Pinto, Isabel Toledo, Jason Wu, Thakoon Panichgul, and Narciso Rodriguez all have names that sound foreign, but they are all American citizens. That gives me pleasure. Mrs. Obama does, I think, have a responsibility to promote American design, and so far, I think she’s done an admirably good job of it, one that makes a nod to the diversity of this vast country. And perhaps she doesn’t need to seek out Black designers precisely BECAUSE she is Black herself. The sight of a Black American wearing the designs of a Hispanic or Asian-American represents diversity in and of itself.

GOODNESS,

why can’t they just be happy for the new first lady, I mean the choices were beautiful regardless. Did they ever think that her selections of choice were her favorites, that who designed it was not a factor. This is supposed to be a wonderful experience and time for our country, and they just had to find something wrong. Maybe the BAA needs to evaluate themselves and see that apparently there is something wrong on their part, that they are taking away from The First Lady and her time of happiness with this nonsense…

This is really ridiculous. With everything that is going on in this country and this world, if all they are concerned about is appealing to the First Lady’s office about her wardrobe choice why didn’t they appeal before the inauguration. She didn’t choose her wardrobe b/c a certain person designed it. She picked what she liked and she looked beautiful. So please stop with the pety stuff. She’ s been First Lady 4 days. She has 4 years to wear whoever and whatever she wants!

Rikyrah they may have been more persuasive if they had sounded “disappointed” instead of entitled. “It was OUR day!”

For example I would have spun that they were disappointed and then shown off the various fashions from Black designers that were available. Not just names, but actual sketches and dresses.

I think it is important to remember that the Black designers themselves did NOT say this – only Ms. Eele did. Her premature cheap shot will now be a pain in the ass for any black designer that DOES dress the First Lady because they will be asked about her comments. For all we know they have been submitting sketches to the First Lady all along and their turn hasn’t come up yet.

Also @Rikyrah” There are all kinds of Black designers with different aesthetics – not just “edgy” and Tracy Reese is not the only one.

Well, it was Michelle and Barak Obama’s moment not because they are black but because they are most qualified for the job they applied for. Make yourself as qualified designers and she will pick you. You can’t just claim something because you happen to be black. especially with a first lady who obviously can’t be racially biased. Stand out with your work rather than with your words.

I agree it was Michelle’s moment to be beautiful and wear what made her feel most beautiful. This is ridiculous. As a black woman it would have been lovely to see something by a black designer, but just just because it was a black designer. I’d must rather see the right design for her for the moment. She is America’s First Lady not Black America’s First Lady.

I think if she had won a black designer white people would say she is promoting black people. She wore a political statement by touching all the powerful voting blocks and the ones that are not offensive to the voting majority

Seems to me Michelle Obama has at least four years of wearing clothes that will get a lot of publicity. Black was already represent on that day. I thought other races needed a shine as well. Mr. Obama is not the president of black America. They must represent the interests of us all. If I were Mrs. O, I would tear that letter to shreads and mail the pieces back to them. They would get the message that I will not be a puppet.

Honestly!!! Get over it!!! They are not in office for black people only. They are there for ALL AMERICANS! I agree with ADMIN’s comment:
“they may have been more persuasive if they had sounded “disappointed” instead of entitled. “It was OUR day!”

The BAA is absolutely correct!!! As first lady, Michelle Obama has the opportunity/obligation to represent the talents of all American artists, including Black Americans.

I would very much like to see Michelle wearing sleeker clothers that fit her body style better, most of what she wears makes her look big and gawky, she is not…….I would like to see her stand straight and tall, not with her shoulders slumped forward………..she should be very proud of her height……….

Simple answer to this. The claims made by The Black Artists Association are racist. Too bad we can’t move past this.

Like an earlier poster, I couldn’t find a Web site for the Black Artists Association either. Looks like the complaining designer pulled a fast one on Women’s Wear Daily. Where the Obamas are concerned, the media are willing to soak up and report every innuendo, slur, and complaint.

I found that the first lady looked like a first lady. Stop your griping there are other days and other needs to come up. Get a grip and stop being babies.

She has worn black designers in the past and I’m sure she will continue to so.

I don’t think there’s any reason to over react to BAA’s comments about Michelle Obama’s wardrobe. Mrs. Obama is now a public figure and now part of American history- she’s neither a private citizen or a sacred cow. She will be under the microscope for 4-8 years and beyond and she will be criticized by all kinds of people, those who mean her well and those who want to bring her, and the President, down.

I think BAA’s comments are harmless. As a M.O. supporter, I think she looked wonderful and represented black women extremely well on inauguration day. However, I might ask the same question myself, especially if I were an AA fashion designer seeing Latinos and Asians represented at the inauguration. It’s a simple and quite harmless question.

Dr. King longed for the day when a man will not be judged by the color of his skin. Does BAA share the dream that a designer will not be judged by the color of her skin? Here’s three things that BAA members can do:

*Make something worth wearing
*Deliver ontime
*Make a PROFESSIONAL pitch to Mrs. O’s team

If you’ve already made the 3 items above, then it’s only a matter of time before Mrs. O. will be “representing” in one of your WORKS OF ART. If you haven’t done the three things above, Well – you should not be talking.

I thought that Ms. Eele’s response was totally inappropriate and disrespectful. I think that there is something else that lies behind this response. This woman is envious of Michelle – . Even if there is substance to what she is saying, I would encourage Michelle not to wear anything Ms. Eele has produced because of the vitriol spewed forth.

There is oftentimes tension and animousity between Africans and African Americans. Some Africans carry very racist attitudes towardrs African Americans. I have the feeling that Ms. Eele wanted to spoil Mrs. Obama’s moment.

There are so many people who could care less about the plight of African Americans – in fact they’ve sided with our oppressors- why then should Mrs. Obama patronize Mrs. Eele’s fashion digs?