Allentown native Thom Browne designed the coat and dress first lady Michelle Obama wore for Monday's inauguration ceremonies.
"She likes well-tailored clothes, so the inspiration was doing something that looked tailored and structured and fitted through the body and somewhat A-line for the skirt and the dress," he told the Los Angeles Times from Paris, where he was showing a menswear collection Sunday night. "Something that's as strong as she is as a person and as an individual."
The coat was in navy silk textured tie jacquard fabric with a fitted bodice and undulated skirt. Mrs. Obama wore it while outdoors over a dress of navy, loden, gray, pink and white jacquard based on a men's silk tie jacquard fabric.
Browne was born and raised in Allentown, one of seven children. His brother Pat Browne is a Republican in the Pennsylvania Senate.
"They have all done extremely well, extremely well," said Thom Browne's mother, Bernice Browne, who still lives in Allentown.
Thom Browne graduated from William Allen High School in 1984 before attending the University of Notre Dame. He worked in fashion houses in New York before creating his own menswear label about 12 years ago.
Bernice Browne was pleased to learn her son had dressed the first lady. "That's something," she said. "That was really a treat for him, I'm sure."
Obama has worn Thom Browne's women's collection before, and the designer met the first lady at the White house last summer. Michelle Obama hosted a luncheon for winners of the Hewitt-Cooper National Design Award for Fashion.
"My brother has been performing at this level for several years now," Pat Browne said. "[His] success is something my family is tremendously proud of. To see his work as part of one of the most important days in democracy just reinforces that."
"We've all taken our own paths based on our own interests," the lawmaker said. "It reflects very positively on my mother and my father, who tried to nurture that among all of us."
Pat Browne owns his brother's shirts and ties, but hasn't had the opportunity to wear one of the suits, which are known for their signature shrunken fit and high-water pants.
"At this point and time, he has not made a line that fits my build," Pat Browne joked. When he does, "I'll be his first customer."
Thom Browne said he chose navy to coordinate with the president, whom he assumed would be wearing navy.
"The fabric specifically was one I was developing for my men's collection that I just showed — a silk jacquard fabric based off an old tie," he told the LA Times. "There's a beautiful structure to the fabric."
"It's one of those humbling experiences in life. With all the American designers she could have chosen from, the fact that she chose mine was overwhelming and one of those experiences that you can never really put into words other than just [to say], 'Truly humbling.'
I'm so proud that she chose it — and I'm also so proud that she looked so good in it," he told the newspaper.
The first lady's belt was from J.Crew, and she wore a necklace and earrings designed by Cathy Waterman. She also wore J.Crew shoes.
The outfit and accessories, according to the first lady's office, will go to the National Archives after the inauguration.
