Why Melania Trump almost didn’t wear that wide-brimmed hat to Donald Trump’s inauguration
Melania Trump turned heads in a wide-brimmed hat at Donald Trump’s inauguration — but the accessory almost didn’t make it to the ceremony.
American designer Eric Javits, who made the chapeau to match Melania’s navy silk wool Adam Lippes coat for the event, told WWD Monday that it “arrived all crushed” when it was shipped from his Miami office to New York.
“It looked like it had been sitting in snow drifts for about a week,” he recalled. “Obviously, I had to scramble to redo it. It couldn’t really be repaired, because of the construction of it.”
Javits called the situation “a little bit of a cliffhanger,” noting that the 54-year-old’s stylist, Hervé Pierre, brought Melania her brand-new hat before the big day.
“He had a driver, and Hervé took it back to her by hand to minimize any other disasters that could possibly happen,” Javits explained.
“No other hands touched, nor did any other eyes see the hat, prior to Hervé and the first lady receiving it.”
Lippes, for his part, told the outlet, “Mrs. Trump’s outfit was created by some of America’s finest craftsmen and I take great pride in showing such work to the world.”
Melania’s inauguration ensemble sparked many memes, with social media users comparing her to Michael Jackson in the “Smooth Criminal” music video and McDonald’s Hamburglar.
One X user quipped, “Well thank god we finally figured out where in the world Carmen Sandiego is,” referencing the character’s signature outfit.
In a viral video, which Dave Portnoy poked fun at, Donald attempted to kiss his wife’s cheek but could not reach past the brim of her hat.
The couple’s 18-year-old son, who is a freshman at New York University, was also in attendance and towered over his mom.
The teenager was 10 the last time his father was sworn into the White House for his first presidential term in January 2017.
Donald, 78, was re-elected in November 2024.
The “Apprentice” alum’s five children — and their children — showed up to support him at the Capitol, and got all dolled up for multiple appearances over the weekend.
Logan Paul, Lauren Sánchez and more celebs attended the inauguration in Washington, DC, with Carrie Underwood among the singers performing.
