The real issue was not the hat: What Melania Trump’s inauguration outfit says about trade and geopolitics

On Monday, the widespread analysis of Melania Trump’s attire for the inauguration ceremony was overshadowed — at least in terms of its initial significance — by the arrival of a press release from Paris. The message, sent to fashion journalists worldwide, read: “Dear Collaborators, We are pleased to announce that Melania Trump wore Dior during her visit to Arlington National Cemetery. She wore a black cashmere cape. Should you need further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us.”

This announcement by Dior showed that one of the key brands under the LVMH conglomerate openly supported the Republican first lady’s choice to wear one of its garments. It was released at the same time that viewers could see, live, that among the CEOs invited to Donald Trump’s inauguration were the Arnault family, the owners of LVMH.

At the inauguration ceremony, the wife of the 47th president of the United States did not choose an outfit from the French brand, but rather from the relatively unknown American label Adam Lippes. This was not a new choice; during the previous inauguration, Melania had also opted for a national brand, Ralph Lauren. What was surprising — and newsworthy — was that representatives of a French luxury brand, renowned for its cultural, design, and craftsmanship excellence, openly expressed support for a political vision they had never publicly endorsed before.

In Trump’s previous term, if Melania wore European luxury brands, from Saint Laurent to Bottega Veneta, it was in her private capacity, as any other consumer might. The fashion industry, long considered progressive, liberal, and a staunch supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, had quietly implied that while Melania could purchase luxury goods with her money, she could not buy into the values they represented. However, the inauguration marked a dramatic shift. As the world focused on a wide-brimmed hat, a clear 180-degree turn in the industry’s stance unfolded for all to see.

The hat, a boater-style piece crafted by the independent designer Eric Javits, stood out because it covered Melania Trump’s eyes in a gesture that felt undeniably somber. The last time a first lady wore a hat to such a ceremony was in 1993, when Hillary Clinton did so, but this marked the first time that a president’s wife attempted to shield her face during a globally scrutinized event.

For the main event, Trump wore a custom-made navy blue double-breasted coat by Adam Lippes, who also designed the white party dress with black bows she wore to the inaugural ball. Analysts noted that the ensemble was reminiscent of the one she wore during her official visit to the United Kingdom, under the late Queen Elizabeth II. The similarities were evident, with the primary difference being the inversion of colors: where light shades had once dominated, dark tones now took center stage. The Dior cape she wore the day before at Arlington Cemetery, paired with black leather boots, gave her an austere, military-like appearance.

Beyond the creative interpretations of Melania Trump’s fashion choice, the undeniable fact remains that the first lady has leveraged her powerful image to support two independent American firms, both run by white, blonde men — Javits in Miami and Lippes in New York. Meanwhile, Trump has been notably hostile toward international trade, threatening tariffs and promising to return the U.S. to its supposed industrial splendor independent of foreign influence.

At the inauguration ceremony, Bernard Arnault, joined by his wife Hélène and two of his children, Delphine and Alexandre, sat alongside tech moguls like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Sundar Pichai. In a conspicuous absence of French President Emmanuel Macron, Arnault assumed the unofficial role of France’s representative, sharing the stage with leaders such as Argentina’s Javier Milei and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni.

The first time Arnault was publicly seen with Trump was in 2019, the year LVMH opened its first Louis Vuitton factory in the United States — which they called “the workshop” in keeping with the narrative of the luxury brand, which is the best-selling in the conglomerate. This facility, located near Alvarado, Texas, and named the “Louis Vuitton Rochambeau Ranch,” spans over 9,200 square meters. It honors French marshal Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Count of Rochambeau, who led French troops during the American War of Independence. President Trump himself attended the opening: “France remains not only our oldest ally, but one of our most trusted and cherished,” he said at the event.

LVMH initially presented the decision to open a factory in the U.S. as a strategy to meet the growing demand from American customers, who represent 25% of Louis Vuitton’s total sales. However, by early 2020, it became evident that the French businessman was anticipating Trump’s tariff threats. Just before the pandemic and Trump’s defeat to Joe Biden in the presidential elections, the Trump administration threatened to impose tariffs of up to 100% on French luxury products, including handbags.

Arnault, the fourth-richest person in the world, has made significant investments through his family office, Aglaé Ventures, in AI companies based in the United States and Canada. These include Lamini, a California-based startup focusing on business applications; Proxima, a New York-based AI-powered digital marketing company; and Borderless, a Toronto-based human resources management platform. This move is noteworthy considering that his biggest competitor in the luxury sector, François-Henri Pinault, the owner of Kering (the second-largest luxury conglomerate), has also made forays into entertainment. Last year, Pinault bought the powerful CAA acting agency and is now eyeing dominance of the red carpet business. But neither he nor his wife, Salma Hayek, were present at Trump’s inauguration ceremony on Monday.

For now, Melania Trump will continue to pay for Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and Schiaparelli — brands owned by Pinault — out of her own pocket, and without the fashion house rushing to announce the news. In fact, another cape worn by Melania at the candlelight dinner during the inauguration events was by Saint Laurent, a Kering brand. However, unlike LVMH, Kering chose not to issue a press release regarding her choice.

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