A French fashion designer has declared that she will not be dressing the incoming First Lady Melania Trump and calls for her peers to refrain as well.
A French fashion designer has declared that she will not be dressing the incoming First Lady Melania Trump and calls for her peers to refrain as well, reports the Huffington Post.
Sophie Theallet made the statement public in an open letter posted to her Twitter account on Thursday.
In it, she notes, “I am well aware it is not wise to get involved in politics. That said, as a family-owned company, our bottom line is not just about money.”
She eventually goes on to say that “dressing the First Lady Michelle Obama for the past 8 years has been a highlight and an honor...Her values, actions, and grace have always resonated deeply within me.”
Theallet then continues, “As one who celebrates and strives for diversity, individual freedom, and respect for all lifestyles, I will not participate in dressing or associating in any way with the next First Lady. The rhetoric of racism, sexism, and xenophobia unleashed by her husband’s presidential campaign are incompatible with the shared values we live by.”
She ends the letter by stating, “I encourage my fellow designers to do the same. Integrity is our only true currency.”
Representatives for Mrs. Trump have not yet issued a response, but there has been a mixed reaction on Twitter; some have called it a publicity stunt while others applaud her for “taking a stand.”
