On Friday night, all eyes were on Melania Trump, and which designer the new first lady would choose for her inaugural gown.
The answer? The vanilla crepe off-the-shoulder gown with a red silk ribbon at the waist was a collaboration "between herself and Hervé Pierre, former creative director of Carolina Herrera," according to the first lady's office.
With her hair styled loose over her shoulders, Melania Trump took center stage with the president for their first dance, as the two swayed to a rendition of Frank Sinatra's My Way.
"It looks absolutely amazing on her," said CNN anchor Erin Burnett, noting white is a tough color to pull off.
Mid-song, the Trumps broke tradition, and their extended family joined the First Couple, dancing behind them. With the men in tuxes, the Trump women dressed in soft colors.
Ivanka Trump, who has attracted as much sartorial interest as her stepmother, wore a glittering, nude, long-sleeved Herrera gown.
"They're bringing New York glamour to Washington," said CNN's Kate Betts. "Much in the same way that Nancy Reagan brought Hollywood glamour to Washington."
First lady fashion has long made headlines – just look at the sartorial legacies of Jackie Kennedy (who Melania evoked at Donald Trump's Friday afternoon swearing-in ceremony, dressed in sky blue Ralph Lauren), Reagan, who favored James Galanos, and of course, Michelle Obama.
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Obama famously chose to wear Jason Wu gowns to both of her husband's inaugurations, putting the young designer, whose label is based in the U.S., firmly on the map. In 2009, she wore a one-shoulder white bridal-like dress, and in 2013, she chose Wu's ruby red halter gown.
Wu's fashion shows became a must-attend for top editors in New York City, and the Taiwanese-born designer soon scored major corporate deals, including a collaboration with Target in 2012. The collection sold out in hours.
After the 2009 inaugural ball, "global interest for the Jason Wu brand peaked immediately and yielded tremendous recognition and publicity that normally would take years to grow as a brand," Wu told Vogue last November.
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Though she supported smaller designers, like Sophie Theallet, Maria Pinto and Brandon Maxwell, Obama enjoyed high-end labels too, mixing looks from Versace, Tom Ford and Alexander McQueen over the years.
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On the campaign trail, Trump favored chic neutrals, often donning tailored looks by Gucci, Roland Mouret, Ralph Lauren, Balmain and Roksanda.
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At a pre-inauguration dinner on Thursday, the new first lady wore a gold Naeem Khan dress. (Michelle Obama also supported Naeem Khan, wearing the designer to the Obamas' first state dinner and again in 2010 to the Kennedy Center honors.)
Collaborating on her inaugural gown with Pierre was “organic,” the designer told Women's Wear Daily. He noted that she has a very strong personal style and she “doesn’t plan to change it because of her new function. So it was fun to respect her very tailored sense of fashion and to translate it in a gown. The lines are sharp, the design has no fuss and reflects Mrs. Trump’s vision of fashion and the way she feels in a gown."
And like Obama, she has been known to mix in lesser-known labels. On Thursday during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, she wore a knee-length military-inspired coat by New York-based designer Norisol Ferrari.
Online, reaction to Trump's inaugural gown was largely positive.
"By no means a supporter of Trump, but Melania looks stunning. Love love love the dress," wrote user @mfriel25.
"Melania Trump is slaying. That dress. Wow. She is going to be a fashion icon," wrote user @lollymagic.
But was it too vanilla? Some were hoping for a little more pizzazz, with user @unboundwolf calling the look "boring." But most fashion insiders regarded the gown as lovely, if somewhat safe.
"It was a little bit subdued," said CNN commentator Derek Blasberg, who still called her look "a hit. It was simple and elegant."
And the new first lady's fashion moment may just put Pierre, who spent 14 years at Herrera's design house before leaving last February, on the map.
"It’s interesting to note this was the first time he struck out on his own,” said Blasberg. “In a weird way, perhaps we’ll see something similar to what Michelle Obama did with Jason Wu. Maybe she’s trying to foster a relationship with a new name on the fashion scene. This guy is going to be on the front page of every newspaper tomorrow.”
