Michelle Obama Is Schiaparelli Goddess of Strength and Energy at Smithsonian Fundraiser

Michelle Obama with Schiaparelli Creative Director Daniel Roseberry. © Paul Morigi/Invision/AP/Shutterstock via British Vogue

Michelle Obama loves yellow, and she achieved true goddess stature wearing a custom Schiaparelli gown to the American Portrait Gala. Obama attended the event to support her friend Lin-Manuel Miranda, now a permanent fixture on the wall of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, in artwork by Mark Seliger.

“What I love most is that [Lin] believes it’s his duty to lift up those around him, especially the next generation,” the beloved former First Lady said of the ‘Hamilton’ creator. “He’s someone who has, in melody and rhyme and connection, painted as honest a portrait of our country as I’ve ever seen. Love this guy.”

Speaking of Michelle Obama’s dress, Schiaparelli Creative Director Daniel Roseberry commented on the design: “The inspiration for the shape originally came from the crinoline which is often found underneath couture gowns, but the real starting point for the overall look was the colour. The acidic tone echoes Elsa Schiaparelli’s signature shocking pink, and we also felt that it matched the strength and energy of Mrs Obama. It was such an honour to make this special gown for her.”

Roseberry waxed lyrical about Madame Schiaparelli when he took the creative reins at the house in April. “She was a master of the modern; her work reflected the chaos and hope of the turbulent era in which she lived,” he said. “Today, we find ourselves asking similarly big, identity-shaping questions of our own: What does art look like? What is identity? How do we dress for the end of the world?” via British Vogue.

Besides Lin-Manuel Miranda, other honorees included Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, Nobel Laureate Frances Arnold, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee band Earth, Wind & Fire, former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi.

The event raised more than $2 million in support of the Smithsonian museum’s endowment for exhibitions, with more than 700 guests in attendance. The Washingtontonian provides photos galore.

Michelle Obama In Dior Talks With Oprah About 'Becoming' For ELLE US December 2018

Michelle Obama In Dior Talks With Oprah About 'Becoming' For ELLE US December 2018

Former First Lady Michelle Obama is styled in Dior, Cushnie, Sally LaPointe, Ann Demeulemeester and more by Meredith Koop for images by Miller Mobley for ELLE US December 2018. As Michelle launches her massive, sold-put book tour around the publication of ‘Becoming’, her buddy Oprah sits down with the beloved American icon for the interview ‘Michelle Obama Is Still Optimistic’.

There are multiple passages to share, but we’ll go with the toast story. Michelle explains:

So here I am in my new home, just me and Bo and Sunny, and I do a simple thing. I go downstairs and open the cabinet in my own kitchen—which you don’t do in the White House because there’s always somebody there going, “Let me get that. What do you want? What do you need?”—and I made myself toast. Cheese toast. Then I took my toast and I walked out into my backyard. I sat on the stoop, and there were dogs barking in the distance, and I realized Bo and Sunny had really never heard neighbor dogs. They’re like, What’s that? And I’m like, “Yep, we’re in the real world now, fellas.” It’s that quiet moment of me settling into this new life. Having time to think about what had just happened over the last eight years. Because what I came to realize is that there was absolutely no time to reflect in the White House. We moved at such a breakneck pace from the moment we walked in those doors until the moment we left. It was day in and day out because we, Barack and I, really felt like we had an obligation to get a lot done. We were busy. I would forget on Tuesday what had happened on Monday. I forgot whole countries I visited, literally whole countries. I had a debate with my chief of staff saying, “You know, I’d love to visit Prague one day.” And Melissa was like, “You were there.” I was like, “No, I wasn’t. Wasn’t in Prague, never been to Prague.” She had to show me a picture of me in Prague for the memory to jog. So the toast was the moment that I had time to start thinking about those eight years and my journey of becoming.

Michelle Obama has been unusually open in her book ‘Becoming’, sharing among many stories the one about her miscarriage and conceiving both Malia and Sasha through IVF. Michelle talks at length about the challenges of the Obama marriage, cemented in the differences that have been overcome with much hard work and a deep love. In dramatic contrast to the image we have of Donald Trump, Michelle shares this vision of a late night, young man Obama — life before stardom.

Michelle Obama Says "Making Mistakes Was Not An Option For Us . . . We Had To Be Outstanding"

Michelle Obama Says "Making Mistakes Was Not An Option For Us . . . We Had To Be Outstanding"

Our beloved former First Lady Michelle Obama talked openly about race and the expectations and pressures that came with being "the first" black couple to occupy the White House. Michelle was speaking at the American Library Association's annual conference in New Orleans on Friday.

“Barack and I knew very early that we would be measured by a different yardstick,” Obama said of her husband’s tenure as the nation’s first black president during a conversation with Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden. “Making mistakes was not an option for us. Not that we didn’t make mistakes, but we had to be good — no, we had to be outstanding — at everything we did….When you’re the first, you’re the one that’s laying the red carpet down for others to follow.” 

Michelle's conversation came in advance of the November release of her upcoming memoir 'Becoming'. She spoke particularly on the subject of race, saying: "It's just a shame that sometimes people will see me, and they will only see my color, and then they'll make certain judgments about that," she said. "That's dangerous, for us to dehumanize each other in that way. We are all just people."

The Obamas Sign Multi-Year Netflix Deal To Produce & Perform In Series, Films & Documentaries

The Obamas Sign Multi-Year Netflix Deal To Produce & Perform In Series, Films & Documentaries

President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have signed a multi-year agreement to produce various series, film, and documentaries for Netflix, reports Politico. 

While the former president has said that the couple's intent is not to criticize the Trump administration or social conservatives, reality is that Netflix's almost 120 million global subscribers give the Obamas a significant platform for influence on key issues that matter to them -- like health care, immigration and nutrition. 

“One of the simple joys of our time in public service was getting to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life, and to help them share their experiences with a wider audience,” Obama said in a statement. “That’s why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix – we hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world.”

Michelle Obama Artist Amy Sherald Joins Hauser & Wirth Global Gallery

Michelle Obama Artist Amy Sherald Joins Hauser & Wirth Global Gallery

Amy Sherald, the painter behind the official portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama, has joined Hauser & Wirth, a mega-gallery with worldwide outposts. 

The announcement comes days after Sherald unveiled her official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. In May, Sherald will debut her first solo museum exhibition at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. 2018 has been quite a year for Amy Sherald, who had her first solo gallery show in 2016. 

To date, Sherald has rejected the tendency of star artists to overproduce. ArtNews writes that her output is only 30 portraits, 10 to 12 paintings a year. As of December 2017, the waiting list for her paintings had grown to about 50 people. 

Michelle Obama Says She Is Committed To Creating Thousands Of Mes By Working With Young Leaders

Michelle Obama Says She Is Committed To Creating Thousands Of Mes By Working With Young Leaders

Former First Lady Michelle Obama is well aware of the impact she has on young women, and especially young girls of color. How many times did we see them incredulous that she had walked into their school room unannounced, leaving all the kids -- but girls in particular -- shrieking with delight and covering up their eyes in disbelief. 

Michelle Obama has that kind of impact on young people -- even very, very young people. Parker Curry, age 2, found herself fixated over Obama's new portrait in the National Portrait Gallery. So spellbound was Parker over the towering image of America's royal black goddess that she refused to turn around for just one snap for mom Jessica Curry. 

Curry, a lifelong DC District resident, was so fixated on her daughter being fixated on the portrait that she didn’t see a man to the side taking a cellphone photo of the moment — Parker in utter awe, her mouth agape.

Prince Harry Joins Obamas To Kick Off Inauguration Of Obama Foundation Summit In Chicago

Prince Harry Joins Obamas To Kick Off Inauguration Of Obama Foundation Summit In Chicago

Prince Harry joined Michelle Obama on Tuesday, kicking off the inaugural summit of the Obama Foundation. “During this inaugural Summit, hundreds of leaders from around the world will come together to exchange ideas, explore creative solutions to common problems, and experience civic art, technology, and music from around the world,” reads the Obama Foundation’s site.

Harry joined the former First Lady in a meeting with about 20 students at Hyde Park Academy across the site from the future site of the Obama Presidential Center. Caroline Adler Morales, Obama’s communications director, told People that they discussed “the importance of young people staying inspired and hopeful, and the transformative power of students using their voices to change the world.” Harry is scheduled to give a headliner speech, where he’ll likely talk about his Full Effect program, which supports at-risk youth in the U.K.

President Obama was scheduled to speak at 3 pm Tuesday and Prince Harry will take the podium at 6:15 pm. The former first lady spoke Tuesday morning at 11:45 am. 

Diversity Gets Major Uplift On US Fashion Magazine Covers Reports Fashionista

Fashionista beat me to the topic of diversity on US magazine covers. I was about to praise Vogue US for featuring women of color three months in a row -- November 2016-January 2017.

Fashionista has tracked diversity on magazine covers in-depth for several years, and finally we are celebrating some progress.

This time last year, we reported a disappointing statistic: That diversity on the covers of 10 leading U.S. fashion publications — Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle, Nylon, Teen Vogue, Vogue and W — did not improve in 2015 from 2014. In 2015, 27 of 136 covers featured people of color* while the year before, 27 of 137 did. It was an improvement, technically, but only from 19.7 percent to 19.8 percent. 

In 2016, however, there have been sizable lifts in cover star diversity across the board. For consistency's sake, we reviewed the covers from the same titles we looked at in 2015 — all 147 of them. And we found that 53 of 147 covers — or 36 percent — starred people of color*, as compared to 2015's 19.8 percent. That's a 16.9 percent rise.

AOC gives Vogue US a sound round of applause for featuring three inspiring women of color in a row: Lupita Nyong'o, Michelle Obama and 'Loving' star and Golden Globe nominee Ruth Negga. See their editorials, covers and interviews.

Vogue US January 2017: Ruth Negga

Interview and Editorial

Vogue US December 2016: Michelle Obama

Editorial and Anne's commentary about Michelle Obama's mission to educate girls worldwide.

Vogue US November 2016: Lupita Nyong'o

Editorial and Anne's rich rieview of Lupita's trip to Kenya.

Michelle Obama Raises Her Torch For Global Girl's Education In 'We Will Rise'

Michelle Obama Raises Her Torch For Global Girl's Education In 'We Will Rise'

It's factual to say that I'm in total avoidance psychologically and emotionally over the Obamas leaving the White House and the Trumps moving in. I do not intend to watch the inauguration and will probably be sobbing -- as I was last night watching CNN's film 'We Will Rise' about Michelle Obama's global education initiative for girls. CNN's Isha Sesay is joined by Freida Pinto and Meryl Streep as they travel to Liberia and Morocco in advance of Michelle Obama's arrival.

Watching the First Lady's plane land first in Liberia, I simply lost it totally and the tears were endless. I was so proud watching that big jet with USA emblazoned on it touch down, and my pain was acute knowing that most probably all the girls' and women's initiatives launched first by Hillary Clinton as Secy of State and then continued by Michelle Obama will be lost in a Trump Administration. Can you imagine Melania and Ivanka touching down In Liberia and Morocco -- unless it's Marrakech and the refurbished La Mamounia hotel? No, you can't.

Interviewed by CNN about her commitment to girls' education, Michelle Obama says: "This issue is personal for me".

For me, education was power.

Michelle Obama's Speech Brought Real Life To The Republican War on Women, Says Glen Beck

Michelle Obama's Speech Brought Real Life To The Republican War on Women, Says Glen Beck

Obamas Lease Beautiful, Unpretentious House In DC's Kalorama Neighborhood

Obamas Lease Beautiful, Unpretentious House In DC's Kalorama Neighborhood

Eye | Meryl Streep Launches ERA Campaign | Michelle Obama Guest Edits More | Arianna Huffington In The Spotlight

Anne is reading …

Arianna at the Huff Post Helm

Arianna Huffington’s Improbable, Insatiable Content MachineNYTimes Magazine

Today, The Huffington Post employs an armada of young editors, writers and video producers: 850 in all, many toiling at an exhausting pace. It publishes 13 editions across the globe, including sites in India, Germany and Brazil. Its properties collectively push out about 1,900 posts per day. In 2013, Digiday estimated that BuzzFeed, by contrast, was putting out 373 posts per day, The Times 350 per day and Slate 60 per day. (At the time, The Huffington Post was publishing 1,200 posts per day.) Four more editions are in the works — The Huffington Post China among them — and a franchising model will soon take the brand to small and midsize markets, according to an internal memo Huffington sent in late May.

Since its founding, Huff Po has depended on free labor, understanding that if you give bloggers a big enough platform, you don’t need to pay them.

Audrey Hepburn in London

Audrey Hepburn photographed wearing Givenchy by Norman Parkinson, 1955. © Norman Parkinson Ltd./Courtesy of Norman Parkinson Archive.This Audrey Hepburn Exhibition Is Like Pinterest In Real LifeVanity Fair

Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon’ is now open through October 18 at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Some of the biggest names in photography lensed Audrey Hepburn: Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, Angus McBean, Irving Penn and Norman Parkinson. Mark Shaw was asked to shoot a photo essay about Hepburn for Life Magazine in 1953, was granted unprecedented access to Hepburn, who was filming Sabrina at the time. Exhibition portraits show her in many of her most famous roles – another cover for Life magazine, swathed in Givenchy as Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon

While Hepburn took up humanitarian work during the 1950s, she became a global ambassador for UNICEF in the 80s. Naturally bilingual in English and Dutch, Hepburn also spoke fluent French, Italian, Spanish, and German as she travelled to the poorest and most disadvantaged areas of the world to support aid projects. Hepburn was one of the first mega celebrities to leverage her fame and following on behalf of the UN.

Meryl Streep Petitions Congress for ERA

Meryl Streep receiving Medal of Freedom award from President Barack Obama in 2014.Hollywood mega actor Meryl Streep sent letters to all 535 members of Congress in late June, petitioning them to revive the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).

“I am writing to ask you to stand up for equality – for your mother, your daughter, your sister, your wife or yourself – by actively supporting the Equal Rights Amendment,” Streep wrote in the letter.

Each letter was accompanied by a copy of ‘Equal Means Equal’, a book by president of the ERA Coalition Jessica Neuwirth.

The essence of the ERA is simple, written in 1920, is simple: “Equality rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

It took over 50 years for Congress to finally ratify the ERA in 1972. As the amendment moved towards final passage — passing in 35 of the required 38 states, the infamous Phyllis Schlafly hit the road to stop its final passage.

The actress also noted that the United States has encouraged countries like Afghanistan to include women’s rights into their constitutions, yet America doesn’t “have it in our own,” according to The Washington Post

“For the first time, we have the expectation that we can have a broad array of choices, that we could lead in almost any part of society,” said Streep, who we spotted in DC last February. “And yet we face resistance. … How can we lift and defuse it, how do we make it so our equality is not so threatening?”

First Lady Michelle Obama is interviewed by Meryl Streep in the July/August issue of More magazine. Streep is attached to an in development anti-NRA movie with producer Harvey Weinstein called ‘The Senators’ Wife’ — a clear reason for the actor to be in DC.

It’s equally likely that she was in town to interview First Lady Michelle Obama for the July/August issue of MORE Magazine, with FLOTUS serving as guest editor.

MORE highlights the critical role that mothering played in unleashing the skills of both women by reminding them constantly that they could be whatever they chose to be in life.

AOC has long stood for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Read on:

Sign Our Petition in Support of an Equal Rights Amendment AOC Salon

Surveys suggest that the vast majority of Americans aren’t refusing to accept the ERA — no matter what right-wing zealots tell us. If reality, most United States citizens believe that women do have equal protection under the law. Boy are they wrong!!! Not only do women NOT have equal protection under the law, but Republicans in Congress are hell-bent on turning back the rights that women have won in the last 40 years.

Nomi Leasure On Why America Needs An Equal Rights AmendmentAOC Salon

Michelle Obama Takes 'Let Girls Learn' Project To London's Mulberry School

Michelle Obama Takes ‘Let Girls Learn’ Project To London’s Mulberry School

America’s First Lady Michelle Obama was greeted like a true rock star when she visited London’s Mulberry School to promote her joint $200 million US/UK partnership in support of girls’ education. Launched in March, the ‘Let Girls Learn’ initiative will support teacher training, girls’ leadership camps and other community-based global projects that promote the advancement of girls.

The Mulberry School is in ‘an area of high deprivation, writes the BBC. Most students are from the Bangladeshi community and use English as a second language. Read on in Sensual Rebel

Monaco's Princess Charlene | Michelle & Jill AARP Interview | Gwyneth Paltrow

Monaco’s Princess Charlene | Michelle & Jill AARP Interview | Gwyneth Paltrow AOC Style