Fashion Notes: Melania Trump Inducts 'Ruthlessly Chic' Inaugural Gown into Smithsonian

First Lady Melania Trump inducted her second inaugural gown, designed by Hervé Pierre and which she described as “ruthlessly chic,” into the First Ladies Gallery at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on Friday.

With the gown’s induction, Melania Trump becomes the first non-consecutive first lady to donate her inaugural gown for a second time. She is also now only one of two first ladies to have two inaugural gowns in the Smithsonian, the other being First Lady Ida McKinley, whose 1897 and 1901 gowns are featured at the exhibit.

The gown, a collaboration with Mrs. Trump and Pierre, features silk crepe encircled with a black silk gazar ribbon.

On inauguration night, the strapless gown was paired with a choker made of the same black silk gazar with a Harry Winston diamond brooch from 1955 — a borrowed piece meant to capture the design’s ethos: Flowers tied together by a ribbon.

During the induction, Mrs. Trump said the gown is “not a dress,” but rather “more than 50 years of tradition, experience, and wisdom realized with each thread, each stitch, each sharp edge.”

“The meticulously formed black shape Z on the front bodice comments decades of my early memories, life experiences, and influences. And, all of these stories are tapped deep within its crisp seams forever,” Mrs. Trump said:

Mr. Hervé Pierre’s sophisticated knowledge of couture design has solidified his position as a fearlessly independent original. Thank you, Hervé. [Emphasis added]

Harry Winston, one of America’s most consequential jewelers, designed the diamond brooch in 1955. Mr. Winston’s headline-grabbing, historic piece was loaned to me specially for the inauguration. The minimal black neckpiece framed the radiant diamond floral cluster, creating harmony with my overall look. The beautiful contrast between black and white sets a mood rich with emotion. [Emphasis added]

Mrs. Trump said the gown speaks to a “distinct point of view” with its modern silhouette, which she called “bold and dignified” as well as “ruthlessly chic,” perhaps the best way to describe the first lady’s approach to aesthetics and fashion.

“Behind every true couture piece stands a superior team of patternmakers, seamstresses, and artisans, who transform a creative idea into a reality. My team of experts who constructed this gown has obsessed to master their discipline,” Mrs. Trump said. “I’m proud to collaborate with each of them.”

“The human condition is captured with every stitch — the idea to endure and rise above mediocracy to reach the highest level, America’s destiny,” Mrs. Trump continued. “This black and white masterpiece showcases America’s fierce spirit of originality, superior engineering, and boundless creativity. It’s a statement as to why America’s fashion industry can lead the rest of the world.”

For the event, Mrs. Trump a wool double-breasted shawl coat from Bottega Veneta, which retails for $4,300, and paired it with a black cashmere turtleneck, Balmain lambskin leggings, which retail for $3,250, and Christian Louboutin black python knee-high leather boots that are no longer available.

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 20: First Lady Melania Trump poses with her inaugural gown during an event at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on February 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. Mrs. Trump donated her second inaugural dress to the museum, which was designed by fashion designer Herve Pierre, who also designed her first inauguration dress. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 20: First Lady Melania Trump and fashion designer Herve Pierre view her second inaugural dress during an event at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History where the first lady donated her gown to the museum on February 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. Mrs. Trump donated her second inaugural dress which was designed by Pierre, who also designed her first inauguration dress. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 20: First Lady Melania Trump poses with fashion designer Herve Pierre at an event at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History where the first lady donated her second inaugural gown to the museum on February 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. Mrs. Trump donated her second inaugural dress which was designed by Pierre, who also designed her first inauguration dress. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES – FEBRUARY 20: A view of strapless black-and-white gown, designed by first Lady of the US Melania Trumpâs fashion designer and stylist Herve Pierre, at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., US on February 20, 2026. The strapless black-and-white gown was designed by her longtime fashion designer and stylist, Herve Pierre, who is seen sketching it for the first lady and fitting her in it in ‘Melania,’ her recently released documentary. (Photo by Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)