Designer Sophie Theallet says she won't dress Melania Trump
For designers, dressing the First Lady has long been a surefire way to increase brand visibility. But when Melania Trump enters the White House, Sophie Theallet won't throw her hat in the ring.
Theallet, a French designer who immigrated to the United States in the mid-1990s, pledged never to dress Melania in an open letter posted to her Twitter account on Thursday.
"As someone who celebrates and strives for diversity, individual freedom and respect for all lifestyles, I will not participate in dressing ... the next First Lady," she wrote.
SEE ALSO:Melania Trump doesn't want your pity for her 'boy-like' husbandTheallet went on to admit that while her vow was not necessarily the best economic decision for her brand, her values -- and the values of her company -- took precedence.
"We value our artistic freedom and always humbly seek to contribute to a more humane, conscious and ethical way to create in this world," she explained.
"I encourage my fellow designers to do the same," she added.
Theallet has dressed First Lady Michelle Obama on several occasions, including for the Obamas' Independence Day BBQ in 2011.
U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama deliver remarks at an Independence Day barbeque for members of the armed services and White House staff and their families on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2011 in Washington, D.C.Credit: kevin dietsch-pool/Getty ImagesRead her full letter below.
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[H/T: The Cut]
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