First Lady Looks to LC Alum Again for Vogue Cover
Posted 02/16/2009 10:00AM

Move over Oscar, Carolina and Narciso … there’s a new kid in town, Loomis Chaffee alum Jason Wu ‘01. First Lady Michelle Obama has selected the Loomis Chaffee alum once again as her designer choice for the most recent Vogue cover shoot, photographed by Annie Leibovitz. The First Lady glows on the March issue cover in a magenta silk creation by Wu.

What once seemed like a “long shot” has come to life for the young designer. The First Lady chose the designer’s floor-length silk chiffon one-shouldered creation for her Inauguration gown. The design featured head-to-toe organza floral detail with Swarovski crystal rhinestones. The First Lady’s statuesque figure complimented the dresses long Hollywood-glamour sculpture, a signature of Wu’s evening collection.

Since his label launched in 2006, the Manhattan-based designer’s clients have been largely the young socialite set of New York including Ivanka Trump and Amber Valletta. His clientele grew suddenly after a September ’08 fashion show. Michelle Obama’s trusted fashion consultant and Chicago boutique-owner Ikram Goldman placed an order for the First Lady, which was delivered and worn in an interview with Barbara Walters. “It was a little surreal,” said Mr. Wu to the Associated Press about seeing his $3,510 silk dress on the Barbara Walters Special.

Since the spring ’09 shows in New York, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Nordstrom have picked up Jason’s line, among others. As for the dress … if tradition is followed, it’s on its way to the Smithsonian Museum. To view current designs by Wu visit his official website. On January 23, Jason was featured in the pages of The New York Times, and more recently on February 10, Jason was featured in the pages of the Wall Street Journal.