Donald Trump

Designer Sophie Theallet Refuses to Dress Melania Trump

Theallet said she could not reconcile her ethics with the policies espoused by Trump and tolerated by his wife.

French designer Sophie Theallet frequently made fashion splashes dressing First Lady Michelle Obama over the years. She won't be looking for an encore with Melania Trump.  

“As one who celebrates and strives for diversity, individual freedom, and respect for all lifestyles, I will not participate in dressing or associating in any way with the next First Lady,” Theallet wrote in an open letter on Twitter.

After studying in Paris, the French fashionista moved to the United States to pursue her career in New York. She launched her own brand in 2007 and now lives in Brooklyn Heights. One of her most famous clients is Michelle Obama.

“As an immigrant myself in this country, I have been blessed with the opportunity to pursue my dreams in the USA,” Theallet wrote. “Dressing the First Lady Michelle Obama for the past 8 years has been a highlight and an honor. She has contributed to having our name recognized and respected worldwide.”

But for the next four years, Theallet said she would forgo the White House, as she and her co-workers cannot reconcile their ethics with the policies espoused by President-elect Donald Trump and tolerated by his wife.

“The rhetoric of racism, sexism, and xenophobia unleashed by her husband’s presidential campaign are incompatible with the shared values we live by,” Theallet wrote.

She urged other designers to join her boycott of the executive branch. 

“Integrity is our only true currency,” she added.

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