THE TELEGRAPH: The reviews for Michelle Obama on her overseas debut as First Lady have been fulsome but some of the best known names in American fashion are not among the cheerleaders.
Mrs Obama has mixed her sartorial sources during her first foreign foray - switching between young foreign-born US designers such as Jason Wu and Isobel Toledo, her high street look from J Crew and new foreign names such as Azzedine Alaia (Tunisian-French) and Junya Watanabe (Japanese).
But missing from the roster are the big names who have dominated the industry in the US for years. And some of them are none too happy.
Leading the criticism was Oscar de la Renta, a favourite of several former first ladies. "American fashion right now is struggling," he told Women's Wear Daily (WWD), the "fashion industry bible".
"I think I understand what [Obama and her advisers] are doing, but I don't think that is the right message at this particular point. >>> By Philip Sherwell in New York | Saturday, April 4, 2009
