You would think with awards season in full swing, the world's biggest designers would have their hands full creating frocks for A-list movie stars. But the one body that everyone from Oscar de la Renta to Michael Kors is dying to dress belongs to neither a Jolie nor a Winslet. There's only one dream muse of the moment, and she happens to be the incoming First Lady.
Michelle Obama's savvy style and fashion choices have lit up the blogosphere and inspired more commentary than any other First Lady - at least not in the past four decades. Laura Bush was safe and low-key, opting for skirt suits and genteel frocks. Hillary Clinton was the queen of pantsuits and Barbara Bush was nicely presented in a Queen Mum sort of way.
Then along comes a First Lady of the like the US has never seen before: a curvy, 1.83-metre glamazon with definite tastes and a predilection for daring choices. It's not surprising that the word 'icon' is being bandied about rather liberally in association with her. With the inauguration just around the corner, all eyes will be on Obama's choice of dress.
Will she go for something classically elegant from Carolina Herrera or opt for something edgier from one of her faves, designer Maria Pinto? Will she choose a basic black or select one of the bold hues for which she has become famous for (remember that purple sheath dress with the big black belt?) Floral or plain? Billowing or slender?
A week before her husband's induction, the scuttlebutt around town was that Obama was deciding between 'two or three' gowns, according to a fashion publicist close to the proceedings.
Among them is Pinto, as well as Kai Milla, a newcomer to the international fashion scene who also happens to be married to music legend Stevie Wonder. Because if Barack Obama is a rock star of a president, it's only fitting his wife is a rock chick of a First Lady.
Milla, who has created outfits for Oprah Winfrey, Eva Mendes and Salma Hayek and is known for her red carpet looks, is calling her latest offering the 'Inaugural Collection 2009'. Her bottom line: even if one of her creations doesn't make it onto the Obama body on Tuesday, at least everything will be camera-ready for the Oscars.
