Gabbana's Fashionable Friendship With Melania Trump

Former US First Lady Melania Trump's fashion choices have been the subject of much discussion and scrutiny. While some major fashion labels refused to dress her following her husband's election victory, Italian design house Dolce & Gabbana has been a staunch supporter, with Melania often seen wearing their clothing, including a $51,000 jacket. The brand has faced criticism and boycotts for its support of Melania, but it has turned this into a mock fashion campaign. Melania's wardrobe also includes pieces from American designers, such as Ralph Lauren, and she has been known to communicate through her clothing choices, such as wearing a I really don't care, do you? sweatshirt.

Melania Trump's favourite fashion brands

Melania Trump's relationship with fashion, particularly American designers, has evolved since her husband's first term as president. While she has worn designs by American fashion houses Ralph Lauren, Burberry, and Calvin Klein, her most-worn brands are the Italian designer Dolce & Gabbana and the French fashion house Christian Dior.

Melania wore Dolce & Gabbana for her first and second White House portraits, as well as to meet Pope Francis. She also wore a $51,500 Dolce & Gabbana jacket, which sparked public outcry. The Italian fashion house has been criticised for supporting the former first lady, but it has turned the backlash into a mock fashion campaign called #BoycottDolceGabbana, selling boycott T-shirts for almost $250.

Melania's stylist, Hervé Pierre, shops for many of her outfits anonymously in New York, choosing designs by Michael Kors, Dior, Bergdorf, and Saks. Melania also wore Dior during the 2024 election cycle, including a polka dot dress on Election Day in 2024. She has also worn Dior to arrive at Dulles International Airport and to the 2017 Presidential Inauguration, where she wore a custom Ralph Lauren cashmere set.

Melania has also worn designs by Adam Lippes, Vera Wang, and Givenchy.

Dolce & Gabbana boycott campaign

Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana has been at the centre of several controversies. In 2018, the brand faced a boycott campaign after releasing an ad campaign deemed racist. The ad featured a Chinese model struggling to eat Italian food with chopsticks. The controversy was further fuelled by screenshots circulated online that appeared to show co-founder Stefano Gabbana making derogatory remarks about China and Chinese people. This incident led to a widespread boycott of Dolce & Gabbana products by Chinese shoppers and e-commerce sites. The brand's runway show in Shanghai was cancelled, and their goods disappeared from Chinese online retailers.

In recent years, Dolce & Gabbana has also faced criticism for their association with Melania Trump, the former first lady of the United States. Despite the American fashion industry's anti-Trump sentiment, Dolce & Gabbana has been a go-to brand for Melania, who wore their designs in her first official White House portrait and on several other notable occasions. In response to the backlash, the fashion house launched a mock fashion campaign called #BoycottDolceGabbana, even selling boycott T-shirts.

The brand's decision to align with Melania Trump sparked outrage among some, with designers like Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, and Zac Posen publicly stating they would not dress her. However, Dolce & Gabbana remained unfazed by the criticism, turning the boycott threats into a marketing opportunity. This incident highlights the complex dynamics between fashion, politics, and consumer sentiment, with some consumers calling for a boycott of the brand due to its perceived support for the Trump administration.

While the #BoycottDolceGabbana campaign gained traction among those opposed to the Trumps, it also attracted criticism for its potential misuse of the term "boycott." Typically, boycotts are employed to challenge unethical corporate practices or to advocate for social and political causes. In this instance, the boycott was directed at a fashion brand for their association with a controversial public figure, blurring the lines between political statement and personal brand preference. This has sparked discussions about the role of fashion in politics and the limits of consumer activism.

Melania's fashion choices as political statements

Melania Trump's fashion choices have been the subject of much speculation during her time as First Lady, with many interpreting them as political statements. Trump has been criticised for her lack of support for American designers, with her wardrobe consisting largely of European designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, and Louis Vuitton. This is in contrast to previous First Ladies like Jacqueline Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, and Michelle Obama, who used their fashion choices to promote American designers and, when abroad, to pay tribute to the host country's culture.

Trump's stylist, Hervé Pierre, has defended his choice to dress the First Lady, stating that he does not concern himself with the political ramifications of his work. He also emphasised the creative challenge of considering how the public will perceive his designs. While Trump has worn American designers like Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, her preference for European designers has been interpreted as a departure from the "America First" philosophy.

Trump's fashion choices have also been noted for their potential hidden messages and symbolic meanings. For instance, during a visit with Jordan's Queen Rania, she wore a green dress by Hervé Pierre, which some interpreted as a subtle nod to the colours of the Jordanian flag. On another occasion, she wore a pith helmet during her first solo trip to Africa, which drew criticism as it is widely considered a symbol of colonial rule.

Trump's outfits have also been scrutinised for their appropriateness to the occasion. During a trip to Texas, her stilettos were seen as a sign of her inability to understand the power of fashion in domestic politics, as a simple change to boots would have made her appear more relatable. Similarly, her choice of a broad-brimmed hat and tightly buttoned coat at the inauguration kept her face in shadow, giving her an air of mystery and inaccessibility, which was unusual for such an event.

While Trump rarely vocalises the reasoning behind her fashion choices, they have sparked countless headlines and theories, with many believing there are deliberate messages in her outfits.

Melania's fashion choices as First Lady

Melania Trump's fashion choices as First Lady have been varied, ranging from custom-made pieces to off-the-rack purchases. While she has worn designs by American labels such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Carolina Herrera, her most-worn brands are the Italian designer Dolce & Gabbana and the French designer Christian Dior. Melania has also been known to wear clothing by Michael Kors, Burberry, Valentino, and Givenchy.

In her role as First Lady, Melania has had access to a range of fashion options, some of which have been custom-made for her. For example, she wore a custom Hervé Pierre dress for the 2025 inaugural balls, a black-and-white strapless gown with a zig-zag of black fabric adorning the bodice and a slit on one side of the skirt. She also chose Pierre to design her inauguration gown, and he now acts as her de facto stylist, shopping for her outfits anonymously in New York.

Melania's fashion choices have not always been without controversy. In June 2018, she visited an immigration facility in Texas where children were being held, wearing a green Zara jacket with the message "I really don't care, do u?" on the back. This choice was widely criticised as insensitive given the context of the visit. Another notable choice was a $51,500 Dolce & Gabbana jacket, which sparked public outcry and even inspired the fashion brand to launch a mock fashion campaign called #BoycottDolceGabbana.

Despite some backlash, Melania's fashion choices have also received praise for balancing professional style with chicness. Her inaugural outfit, for example, was described as a savvy choice that blended professional style with her personal taste. Additionally, her outfit choice when hosting the Japanese prime minister and his wife was noted for its coordinating style with her husband's ensemble, adding a unique but welcome touch to their appearance.

As First Lady, Melania's relationship with fashion, particularly American designers, has been a topic of interest. While there is no requirement for her to wear custom-made pieces or exclusively American fashion, her choices have sometimes diverged from her husband's rhetoric of supporting the local industry. However, with the start of Donald Trump's second term, there is speculation that her sartorial strategy may shift towards greater alignment with her predecessors and American designers.

The cost of Melania's wardrobe

The cost of Melania Trump's wardrobe has been a topic of interest for many, with the former model and first lady often seen wearing some of the fashion world's most expensive pieces. Melania's outfits are not paid for with taxpayer dollars but are funded privately, with the former first lady and her husband known to have deep pockets.

Melania's most expensive outfits include a $51,500 Dolce & Gabbana jacket, a $7,995 Monique Lhuillier gown, a $5,000 Michael Kors suit jacket, a $9,600 Michael Kors look, a $2,190 Roksanda dress, and $675 Christian Louboutin heels. She also wore a $1,150 pair of Rene Caovilla sandals to an abuse-prevention nonprofit, a $14,270 outfit for her move into the White House, and a $3,995 coat.

Melania's daily fashion choices could also break the bank, with her noted admiration for Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana and the French fashion house Dior. Her most-worn brands are said to be these Italian and French masters, with her first and second White House portraits featuring Dolce & Gabbana. Melania's wardrobe also includes pieces from Calvin Klein, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Adam Lippes, and Christian Louboutin.

While some designers have embraced dressing Melania, others like Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, and Zac Posen have stated they won't. The decision to dress Melania has sparked debate, with some criticising designers for aligning with the Trump administration's values. However, others argue that it is simply about the fashion and that Melania is free to embrace her sartorial strategy as first lady.

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