Sophie posted an open letter on her Twitter account, firmly stating she would not offer her pieces to Melania Trump and asking fashion houses that stand for diversity and freedom to do the same. Joseph Altuzarra suggested his ambivalence toward the issue, telling The New York Times, "I don't want to not dress people I disagree with."
Meanwhile, Tommy Hilfiger told WWD, "Melania is a very beautiful woman and any designer should be proud to dress her." Later, Tom Ford paid a visit to The View, confirming Melania was never on his list of high-profile women to dress. "She's not necessarily my image . . . Even had Hillary [Clinton] won, she shouldn't be wearing my clothes. They're too expensive [for a politician] to relate to everybody."
Donald Trump recently combated Ford's remark at his Leadership Luncheon: "Tom Ford came out and said he was not dressing Melania. He was never asked. I never liked him or his designs. He's never had something to dress like that [pointing to his wife, who was in the room at the time]."
Jean Paul Gaultier, on the other hand, offered his own thoughts: "She dresses very well by herself. I have nothing bad to say against her. She was better dressed than Hillary [Clinton] when she went to vote. She was in her camel coat and white dress and was beautiful. I don't know who advises her or maybe it's herself, but if she asked me to dress her, why not?" he told the Press Association.
Carolina Herrera weighed in on the red carpet: "Of course I will [dress Melania], as the first lady of this country, I will. Of course. It is an honor to dress the first ladies of the country and it's something to do for the United States. It's not for myself. It's for the public." Calvin Klein agreed when TMZ checked in with him: "Of course I would," he confirmed, when a videographer asked how he'd respond if Melania called.
Christian Siriano, on the other hand, is playing it by ear: "I think my response is, I'll let you know. I think I need to see how it goes. That's my diplomatic answer."
Ralph Lauren is reportedly working on a gown and Inauguration Day ensemble for Melania Trump, even though the designer is a long-time Hillary Clinton supporter. The fashion house's team might also be working on custom pieces for other members of the Trump family.
Karl Lagerfeld is the latest designer reported to dress Melania Trump on Inauguration Day. Stayed tuned to see what creations he may make for the future first lady.
