Top Designers Annoyed With Michelle Obama

When you make one person happy, chances are there will be another person out there wanting the same attention. The same goes for all the designers clamoring to have their pieces be part of Michelle Obama’s now-famous wardrobe. Michelle and Barack have been doing a great job giving lesser-known designers and smaller labels big business, but what about the top designers, whose names have been around forever, but not rocked by the most historical First Lady to date?

According to Women’s Wear Daily, they’re not too happy with not getting what they feel is much-deserved shine.

Certainly, there’s still plenty of admiration for Obama’s embrace of the younger set. “I think it’s all right that she chooses young designers, because it’s American fashion that’s going around [the world],” observes Carolina Herrera. “And J. Crew is a huge company, no? It speaks very well of her that she wants to include everyone.”

Well, not everyone, Carolina. Along with Herrera herself, names missing from this most prestigious wardrobe roster include Ralph, Calvin, Oscar, Marc, Vera, Tommy and Isaac, although Obama has worn Liz Claiborne. Even those of the Obamas-walk-on-water ilk would like to see that change. “I hope and believe that this is just a moment,” says Karan. “And I hope to be able to dress her, and not only dress her but address her, sit down – I’m interested in her totality as a woman.”

Ditto Wang. “I love seeing young designers and their vision and how they grow and all of that,” she says. “On the other hand, of course, I wish she would consider some of us, because I think we also have contributions to make.”

…For his part, de la Renta notes that, in recent history, first ladies have always had direct contact with a designer, typically relying on one or two. He suggests that, designer or otherwise, Obama would benefit from expanding her current range of fashion advisers, particularly on matters of protocol. “You don’t,” he declares definitively, “go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.”

Do you think Michelle should start patronizing the bigger names, or should these designers stop complaining?