CANNES FASHION NEWS

I love red carpet fashion and even more when it is done right. First and foremost the strongest trend that came across for me was the romantic floral look .  In fact Elle Fanning in this gorgeous Dior dress is the epitome of this look. This dress is a floral bouquet ,on this grey blue background the delicate embroidered flowers like a field possibly in Cannes. At the same time Jourdan Dunn is stunning in a floral embellished Elli Saab gown. 

In my opinion the fashion news  story out of Cannes is that this is the year of delicate and feminine fashion . Therefore girlie girls should be delighted that this spring /summer season is for them. 

MELANIA TRUMP- FASHION NEWS FROM A BROAD

This is the best kept secret , there is a first Lady. Who knew? The worlds most famous trophy wife is being dragged behind her husband from Saudi Arabia to Europe. The  first lady is being paraded out for her first international trip,

In my opinion Melania Trump is perfect for this presidency , a gorgeous ex-fashion model being mostly seen and not heard. Hence as her erratic husband flounders in his role Melania is defining hers . This first lady is unlikely to make great steps in any direction of importance but her style is definitely her strong suit. Her often blank expression may reflect her time as a fashion model it may also reflect her apparent disdain  for her new-found role. To be fair Ms. Trump may be jet lagged or missing her wee Baron.

While she strutted towards the helicopter to start  this epic tour , fashion news would be front and foremost. The nine-day tour is the longest and most comprehensive view of Melania since her husbands inauguration . 

FASHION NEWS

"Melania did not wear a veil in Saudi Arabia"." She did wear one to meet the Pope." " Melania changes her clothes on the plane!" 

Who cares ? Well the truth is we all do. What Melania wears will become part of the official record of this first international trip. Since the inauguration ,Melania has hidden herself away like a cloistered nun. The Trump tower or as I call it the witches castle has become a fortress to guard the first lady from the "fake news".She has now surfaced to be mainly seen and not heard and we all wager on for how long. In my opinion she may never take hold in the East wing and may continue as an elusive figure. 

Therefore darlings I will join the others to record and critic the first lady as we have never seen her. Hence with a wardrobe consisting of mainly black and white the tour of five countries , and more than a dozen outfits  has concluded.

While past first ladies may have employed stylists Mrs. Trump relied on her past expertise as a model and her admittedly  countless hours reading fashion mags to put together her own wardrobe. 

FASHION NEWS; MELANIA HITS THE ROAD

Since this blog is named "Dress The Part " , it might be interesting in how Melania did just that .In the first place the role of first lady is defined by who's playing the part. Therefore if we agree with the casting director or not this role is played by Melania Trump.

All things considered Melania did a fine job . Moreover she managed to stay true to her public image. She appeared strong, aloof and dispassionate. No doubt the world may have craved a different Melania, but we get what he paid for. While the role of first lady is to soften and humanize the president , Melania rejected this tradition much like she rejected holding her husband's hand. She appeared  hard and cool.

Her wardrobe overall was hard , streamlined and crisp. Furthermore she parted ways with the fashion diplomacy of the past. Therefore she did not actively promote American designers and only partly paid respect to designers from the host country.

FASHION NEWS; THE OUTFITS AND THE DESIGNERS

In Saudi Arabia, she chose a black Stella McCartney jumpsuit that resembled traditional clothes of women in this region . While for her visit in Israel she donned a suit by Michael Kors in white , which symbolizes innocence and peace in the Jewish culture.

In Brussels the First Lady wore clothes made by a Belgian designer Maison Ullens  and by Michael Kors for her visit with the Belgian king and queen, while in Italy (both Rome and Sicily) she opted for Dolce & Gabbana. For her meeting with Pope Francis, Mrs Trump decided to respect the traditional custom of wearing a conservative black dress and a black lace veil both by Dolce & Gabbana.

Dolce & Gabbana  were the big winners in dressing the first Lady . In Sicily Melania raised a controversy by wearing  a $51,000 Dolce & Gabanna coat. All in a days work.

This tour was not too successful for the President , upon his return his critics paint a bleak picture of his diplomatic abilities. However one clear winner has been  awarded the first ladies fashion award.  Melania may not be the friendliest fashionista but she does strut her stuff.

MAY FASHION NEWS ; DOLCE & GABBANA WINS BIG

No doubt there was other fashion news in May. I've chosen to cover three stories and have concentrated on the foreign travels of Melania Trump.

First and foremost I would like to make it clear that in no way is this an endorsement of anything Trumpian. I hold nothing against any designers who choose or are chosen to dress the first lady. Therefore I don't criticize Dolce & Gabbana for dressing Melania Trump on this tour. 

While Michael Kors is favorite of Ms. Trump ,Dolce & Gabbana take the prize . Incidentally this is not the first time Melania has chosen my favorite label .For example last New Years eve she wore a beautiful sleek dress by Dolce & Gabbana . You can exude the same vibe and look by following some of the looks I have chosen,

FASHION NEWS; MELANIA & DOLCE & GABBANA

Melania Trump wore this beautiful black lace dress to meet Pope.Francis.

This is not he same dress worn by Melania. This Dolce & Gabbanna dress is a younger and less formal dress but has a similar feel.
SHOP THIS LOOK

This lovely sequined dress was worn by Mrs. Trump in Sicily for an evening concert. The dress is perfect for an evening event.

This two-tone pailette dress is similar to the one worn by Melania. This dress is a show stealer. Dolce & Gabbana present an elegant evening dress.
SHOP THIS LOOK

On the final day in Italy, Melania wore this floral , full length dress. Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce used this opportunity to promote their wear Italia brand.

Dolce & Gabbana's Spring/Summer 2017 Tropico Italiano show featured holiday inspired designs from Naples and the Italian design duo's native Sicily with signature floral motifs such as this pretty pink rose print gown adding a feminine touch.
SHOP THIS LOOK

MORE FROM DOLCE AND GABBANA

Multicoloured leather small 'Sicily' Mambo print tote from Dolce & Gabbana featuring a top handle, a foldover top with magnetic closure, an internal compact mirror, a signature Carretto Siciliano print, a floral print and a detachable and adjustable shoulder strap
SHOP THIS LOOK

These black and white polka dot sandals from Dolce & Gabbana are a holiday favourite. They feature an open toe, a knot detail, a branded insole, a grey straw ankle strap with a side buckle fastening and a study, mid high block heel
SHOP THIS LOOK

Multicoloured plexiglass and leather 'Dolce' box tote from Dolce & Gabbana featuring a top handle, a padlock fastening detail, an internal logo plaque, a detachable and adjustable shoulder strap and a Sicily postcard print.
SHOP THIS LOOK

Navy silk and leather 'Belluci' pumps from Dolce & Gabbana featuring a pointed toe, crystal embellishments, a brand embossed insole and a high stiletto heel.
SHOP THIS LOOK

FASHION NEWS IN CONCLUSION

May was a big month for fashion this year, ironically no big fashion events are held in May. The wedding of  Pippa Middleton, the Cannes film festival, and most note worthy the fashion travels of Melania Trump.

Therefore we manage some how to put politics aside and look to fashion as a guide. Fashion can reflect politics when the first lady  insensitively wears a garment worth $50,ooo dollars it may raise some political eyebrows.

Enjoy this post and reflect on fashions place and value on the world stage .Arguably fashion is a reflection of the world we live in like all art . Ciao for now Jandrew