Hervé Pierre on Designing Melania Trump’s Inaugural Ball Gown

by Kristen Heinzinger

There was much debate amongst designers about who would dress First Lady Melania Trump for the inaugural ceremonies, and who will continue to dress her over the next few years. Former Carolina Herrera creative director Hervé Pierre opted to design one of her gowns for the inaugural ball, and dished to Harper’s Bazaar about what it was like working with Melania, why he decided to dress her, and how things have completely changed since.

On what Melania was like to work with…
“She knows fashion—she was a model and has worked in a design studio—so she knows about construction…When I brought her fabric swatches, she immediately picked the heaviest, most beautiful six-ply silk from Italy. She knows about fabrics. It was a very organic conversation because we have the same vocabulary.”

On the world’s reaction…
“Immediately my phone went completely ballistic with interview requests; I had investors and bankers in Dubai calling, people opened fake Instagram accounts under my name. Even Target called to say, ‘We are so excited you are doing a line for us.’ I’m like, ‘Well I had no idea I was doing one.'”

On the look she wanted…
“She was very specific about the neckline, about all the lines being parallel…It was important for us not to follow any recipe for a ‘First Lady gown.'” 

On how he hoped she would react…
“I remember when she used to come to the Herrera offices, when she was pleased with the clothes she would scream with happiness.”

On the dress’s reflection of Melania’s personality…
“I believe it was something modern, which was not done before—thank God. The lines are as sleek as a paper cut; the curves of the skirt are fluid, yet the overall shape is sharp and intense. For me it reflects her personality.”

Read the full interview HERE.

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1 comment

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Leonard January 26, 2017 - 11:48 AM

AT LAST! Herve Pierre emerges from the shadows as the creative force behind so many designers who never once shared the spotlight with him.

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