# Inauguration Style Wars Major Fashion Designers Vie to Dress Barack Obama By lourdes sanchez bayas | Published 2008-12-16 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/inauguration-fashion-battles-ii-major-fashion-designers-vie-to-dress-barack References: [blog.thefashiontime](http://blog.thefashiontime.com/2008/12/what-should-barack-obama-wear-on-inauguration-day/) & [wwd](http://www.wwd.com/menswear-news/inauguration-day-what-should-he-wear-1893068?changecurrentdate=true&date=2008-12-15&save_in_session=true) President-elect Barack Obama also has his share of fashion designers willing to dress him for his January 20th presidential inauguration. Meanwhile his wife, [Michelle Obama](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/michelle-obama-inauguration-gown-pictures), continues to get bombarded by hopeful haute couture fashionistas. Designers such as Marc Jacobs, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tommy Hilfiger, Richard James, Missoni, Sean John, Paul Smith, Hart Schaffner Marx, Tim Hamilton and Elie Tahari have revealed sketches of attire they think the president-elect should wear for his inaugural ball. Among the 40+ illustrations are [formal bow tie evening attires](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcqueen-holiday-2025), coat tailed jackets, tight tube pants with jacket and bow tie, [business suits with colorful neckties](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fallwinter-2025) and more formal as well as informal apparel. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.8/10 - Popularity: 63% | Activity: 14% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Hip Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/hipfashion) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Designers Vying for Obama:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the fashion industry as designers compete to dress President-elect Obama for his inauguration. - **Haute Couture Frenzy:** Disruptive innovation potential in the fashion industry as designers bombard Michelle Obama with sketches of attire for the inauguration. - **Diverse Inauguration Attire:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the fashion industry to provide a range of formal and informal apparel options for the presidential inauguration. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Fashion Design:** Fashion designers seeking to dress President-elect Obama for his inauguration have the potential for disruptive innovation in the industry. - **Haute Couture:** The frenzy of sketches being sent to Michelle Obama presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the haute couture industry. - **Formal Wear:** The diverse attire options for the inauguration create disruptive innovation potential in the formal wear industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Elegant Men's Formalwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jack-victor1.md) - [Inclusion-Focused Design Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barbie-3.md) - [Stylish Fashion Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stylish-fashion-campaigns-marc-jacobs-unveils-its-spring-2025-marcworld-cam.md) - [Voting-Themed Fashion Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/youve-got-the-power.md) - [Modern High-Fashion Dresses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/terani-couture.md) - [Design-Forward Garment Bags](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/garment-bags1.md) - [Holiday-Inspired Evening Wear Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcqueen-holiday-2025.md) - [Timeless Sophisticated Fashion Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fallwinter-2025.md) - [Holiday Gown Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nana-jacqueline.md)