Whereas Smith had labored with Obama on a number of events previous to the portrait, the designer was nonetheless pleasantly stunned when stylist Meredith Koop approached her to create a customized costume primarily based on a chunk from Milly’s spring 2017 assortment. Typically, a number of designers are commissioned to create items for events like this, however just one will get chosen, which is why Smith ready for a distinct costume to be picked, particularly given the printed design. “After they instructed me the costume that they have been concerned about from my runway present, I used to be stunned as a result of it was so type of fashion-forward and revealing,” says Smith, referring to the often-conservative, solid-colored ensembles that get picked for Nationwide Gallery’s portraits.
