The White House has released the official portrait of Melania Trump, and Vogue doesn’t seem to be very pleased with her look.
This comes after the White House released the official portraits of President Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, marking their second term in power. While the people were going gaga over the portrait of Melania, calling it her show of power, Vogue begs to differ.
The fashion media giant has come out ridiculing the look, claiming that Melania looked like a movie magician at a kid’s party.
Aside from pointing out the seemingly obvious airbrushing and supposed heavy photo-editing, it’s the premise of the portrait and the message it seems to send that Vogue disagrees with.
Melania Trump was snapped in a power position with the Washington Monument behind her, leaning slightly forward, and her hands resting on a reflected table. It was taken by her long-time photographer, Reginé Mahaux. The former model chose to wear a dark suit with a white shirt underneath.
The correspondent from Vogue points out the choice of attire from Melania Trump. Her choice to pair her Dolce and Gabbana tuxedo with a crisp white shirt rather than opting for a blouse or blazer gave her the look of a magician, not a public servant.
Melania Trump opted for a tuxedo for her black-and-white boardroom pastiche. https://t.co/4Gr8n5LvN2
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) January 28, 2025
It was also pointed out that perhaps the First Lady got inspired by her husband’s reality show, The Apprentice, and chose the outfit to showcase her determination and standing. However, the First Lady seems to be forgetting that the position comes with obligations, not an entitlement.
Vogue also remarked that the president and his spouse are public servants, not some CEOs who have been accused of actually running the nation. However, the look Melania Trump chose for herself, as her photographer insisted, showcases her as one of the tech giants that the president seems to prefer.
Vogue talked about Melania Trump’s last White House portrait, with her hands crossed and a huge diamond ring shining through the picture with a sly smile. They added that the First Lady’s image was airbrushed to “oblivion” and noted that her huge ring was not the appropriate choice for an official portrait.
In comparison to the latest White House portrait, the previous images of Jill Biden and Michelle Obama seem to be thoughtful and tasteful.
While Jill Biden was seen in a blue colour suit with a genuine smile and wrinkles showing her years of experience, Michelle Obama’s first official portrait showed her youth and willingness to achieve greatness.
It’s not only Melania Trump, that Vogue seems to be displeased with; it’s also Ivanka Trump and her gown for the inaugural ball.
Ivanka chose to wear a unique Givenchy dress in black and white that was a homage to the high-end outfit Audrey Hepburn wore in the movie “Sabrina.” However, given the difference in the political views of Ivanka Trump and Audrey Hepburn, this choice of dress left a bad taste in the mouths of many fashion enthusiasts.
Vogue pointed out that when a politician or any person of merit recreates a famous dress to be worn on stage, they do so with the person with whom they share a political ideology. However, in the case of Ivanka Trump, it seemed the dress was all about aesthetics and worn without real thought of what it represented.
It’s safe to say so far, that the Trumps have not been able to woo Vogue. However, they still have time to make up for their fashion faux pas, but only will tell whether they manage to do so.