2 min readFor the opening reception of the new Obama Presidential Center in Chicago last night, Michelle Obama pulled a head-to-toe runway look but customized it in a manner that goes way beyond styling. Her sepia-toned ensemble featured a radiant, larger-than-life photograph of her late mother, Marian Robinson. “This beautiful skirt that my stylist Meredith Koop picked out is my favorite portrait of my mom,” she said in her remarks.
The look first appeared at the Acne Studios Fall 2026 fashion show in Paris back in March as part of a series in collaboration with fashion and art photographer Paul Kooiker. This skirt, along with numerous other pieces in the collection, initially featured the image of an art school student. Michelle styled it as it was shown on the runway, pairing the skirt with a brown short-sleeved sweater, thin black belt, and leather pumps.
Versace Fall 2026
Alongside Koop, Michelle developed a reputation for great style, and often invokes fashion to tell a story. But this is perhaps her most literal use—and it taps into a long history of designers using clothing as a canvas for portraiture—which has never been more front and center than it is now, coming off the 2026 Met exhibition “Costume Art.” At Dario Vitale’s single Versace show last year, he debuted a custom print named “The Party” featuring pop-art faces stamped onto garments. His work harkens back to Gianni Versace’s use of Warhol prints in collections from the early 1990s.
Versace Spring 1991
This crossover between art and fashion has often been invoked to make a statement, as in the case of Vivienne Tam’s collaboration with artist Zhang Hongtu in 1995 for her “Mao” collection, poking fun at China’s communist leader, or Miuccia Prada’s subtle commentary on women’s role in society via the use of illustrations by Robert E. McGinnis of ‘50s and ‘60s pin-ups superimposed on skirts and T-shirts. The medium essentially does the work of a slogan tee, but in the most artistic way possible.
Prada Fall 2017
Michelle’s tribute was not subtle—like swapping in a more accessible J.Crew dress for a luxury one from Michael Kors—but it was indeed beautiful. “I am a little shaken up by this,” Barack said following her remarks. (He saw the skirt only just before the audience did.) “She made a home for Michelle and Craig not with a lot, but with a lot of love and hope and perspective,” he continued, referring to Robinson. “They represent to me what’s best about this country.”
The Presidential Center officially opens to the public on Juneteenth. In addition to public spaces, the center holds a museum dedicated to the story of the nation’s first Black president and First Lady. It features 28 original artworks commissioned for the space, including a new portrait of the Obamas by Njideka Akunyili Crosby, and contains a section dedicated to some of Michelle’s most significant fashion choices. Well, here’s one more worthy of display.
