This Designer Would Be Happy To Dress Melania Trump

In the two weeks since the election, the fashion industry has, for the most part, stayed fairly quiet about the future of White House fashion in the wake of Donald Trump's win. But at last night's Angel Ball in NYC, Tommy Hilfiger talked to WWD about the prospect of dressing the FLOTUS-to-be, Melania Trump. “I think Melania is a very beautiful woman and I think any designer should be proud to dress her," Hilfiger told the publication. Hilfiger is one of the first big fashion-industry players to speak out in favor of dressing Mrs. Trump. “I don’t think people should become political about it," Hilfiger said. "Everyone was very happy to dress Michelle [Obama] as well... You’re not gonna get much more beautiful than Ivanka or Melania." Last week, designer Sophie Theallet penned an open letter to the fashion industry, urging other designers not to dress Melania. (Hilfiger's comments to WWD were, in fact, in response to being asked about Theallet's letter.) And designers including Diane von Furstenberg, Joseph Altuzarra, Rag & Bone's Marcus Wainwright, and Public School's Dao-Yi Chow told The New York Times's Vanessa Friedman that they wouldn't dress the forthcoming First Lady if the opportunity arose. Refinery29 reached out to Hilfiger's team, but there was no additional comment.