Belinda Morris <p><strong>A New Administration of Fashion in the White House: Jason Wu</strong></p> <p><a href="http://static1.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/obamadressbig.jpg" rel=facebox ><img alt="Inaugural Gown" align="left" src="http://static0.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/obamadresssmall3.jpg" /></a>As a young boy Jason Wu started out testing his clothing designs on the most basic of silhouettes – children’s dolls. On the 20th of January, the twenty-six year old emerging New York designer passed by further practice on mannequins or runway elite in favour of the one figure taking the American fashion scene by storm: newly crowned First Lady Michelle Obama. All ears may have been on her husband Barack Obama, sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, but all eyes were on the new commander-in-chief of fashion at his side, wearing Wu’s creation: a one-shouldered ivory chiffon dress accented with delicate floral-form arrangements of Swarovski crystals and organza.</p> <p><br /><p> <p><a href="http://static2.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/huportraitbig.jpg" rel=facebox ><img alt="Wu" align="right" src="http://static1.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/huportraitsmall2.jpg" /></a><p><br />Mrs. Obama’s bold decision to take a chance on an up-and-coming rather than a tried-and-true designer has catapulted Wu not only into another league, but also into the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection of Inaugural ball gowns. Now a part of history himself, it is no surprise that Wu cites the work of some of the founding forefathers of fashion, designers Charles James and Jacques Fath, as influential in his own creations. Since establishing his namesake line in 2006, each collection is an achievement in feminine fits for today&#8217;s woman with the attention to detail given to haute couture garments. He is known to look back to the days &#8220;when women were polished and styled to perfection.&#8221; The photographer Avedon, whose highly respected work exemplified such perfection, has also influenced Wu&#8217;s creations.</p> <p> <p><a href="http://static1.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/reddressbig.jpg" rel=facebox ><img alt="Wu" align="left" src="http://static2.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/reddresssmall2.jpg" /></a>After studying sculpture in Tokyo, fashion in Paris, and later technique at Parsons School of Design in New York, the spirit of Wu&#8217;s designs follow in a truly American tradition of contemporary comfort with a touch of old world craftsmanship. He was awarded the Fashion Group International&#8217;s Rising Star Award in January 2008 and named a finalist in the <span class="caps">CFDA</span>/Vogue Fashion Fund in July 2008. Along with Mrs. Obama, Jason Wu is part of a new administration of fashion for us to watch!</p> 2009-02-06T17:48:56+00:00 wu-who 3097232 2009-02-06T17:48:56+00:00 127652 2009-02-11T19:34:12+00:00 *A New Administration of Fashion in the White House: Jason Wu* <a href="http://static1.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/obamadressbig.jpg" rel=facebox ><img alt="Inaugural Gown" align="left" src="http://static0.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/obamadresssmall3.jpg" /></a>As a young boy Jason Wu started out testing his clothing designs on the most basic of silhouettes – children’s dolls. On the 20th of January, the twenty-six year old emerging New York designer passed by further practice on mannequins or runway elite in favour of the one figure taking the American fashion scene by storm: newly crowned First Lady Michelle Obama. All ears may have been on her husband Barack Obama, sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, but all eyes were on the new commander-in-chief of fashion at his side, wearing Wu’s creation: a one-shouldered ivory chiffon dress accented with delicate floral-form arrangements of Swarovski crystals and organza. <p> <p> <a href="http://static2.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/huportraitbig.jpg" rel=facebox ><img alt="Wu" align="right" src="http://static1.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/huportraitsmall2.jpg" /></a><p> Mrs. Obama’s bold decision to take a chance on an up-and-coming rather than a tried-and-true designer has catapulted Wu not only into another league, but also into the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection of Inaugural ball gowns. Now a part of history himself, it is no surprise that Wu cites the work of some of the founding forefathers of fashion, designers Charles James and Jacques Fath, as influential in his own creations. Since establishing his namesake line in 2006, each collection is an achievement in feminine fits for today's woman with the attention to detail given to haute couture garments. He is known to look back to the days "when women were polished and styled to perfection." The photographer Avedon, whose highly respected work exemplified such perfection, has also influenced Wu's creations. <p> <a href="http://static1.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/reddressbig.jpg" rel=facebox ><img alt="Wu" align="left" src="http://static2.shopify.com/s/files/1/0012/7652/files/reddresssmall2.jpg" /></a>After studying sculpture in Tokyo, fashion in Paris, and later technique at Parsons School of Design in New York, the spirit of Wu's designs follow in a truly American tradition of contemporary comfort with a touch of old world craftsmanship. He was awarded the Fashion Group International's Rising Star Award in January 2008 and named a finalist in the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in July 2008. Along with Mrs. Obama, Jason Wu is part of a new administration of fashion for us to watch!