Donatella Versace Dedicates Spring/Summer 09 Line to Obama

By Sydney Cannon June 26, 09:47 AM

Stuffy politicians have never exactly had a place in the world of fashion (with the exception of the notoriously stylish Kennedys, of course). But, as he is known to do, Barack Obama has inspired change in yet another realm of life. During Fashion Week in Milan, Donatella Versace unveiled the spring/summer ’09 collection that she dedicated to Obama, referring to him as “the man of the moment.” She created the line to be emulative of "a relaxed man who doesn't need to flex muscles to show he has power." The democratic presidential candidate himself has described his style as “standard” and his personality as “down to earth.”

The Versace empire, on the other hand, is known to be more on the flashy, gaudy side. But, in honor of its new muse, the upcoming collection looks a bit tamer than what we are used to seeing from the ostentatious brand.

The models wore suits of shiny material, with no ties; many were cool blue-grays, beiges, and pastels. The new suits featured jackets with a varied array of lapels: skinny, double, and some with no lapel at all. When asked what she would personally advise in the way of style in the world of politics, Versace said, “I would get rid of the tie and jazz up the shirt.”

While we don't know if Obama is looking to take fashion tips from Versace herself, he clearly has been getting tips from somewhere on how to keep things simple and good-looking. He stated that he merely mixes and matches pieces from the same five suits, and only owns four pairs of shoes. But somehow, with limited amounts to work with, the man makes an impact.

The effortless, yet sharp look of the collection definitely lends an Obama feel. Nevertheless, we can’t picture the potential future president rocking a Versace suit during a weekend conference overseas. But, who knows? After all, there is a first time for everything.