Yes Wu Can!

When Michelle Obama, now the Frist Lady, walked onto the stage for her husband's Inagural Ball, she looked more stunning and more beautiful then she has ever looked. She was wearing the gown designed by young talent named Jason Wu. Wu said he designed the dress with "hope, a feeling of newness, a dream like quality to the gown and making a moment of history".

Like everyone else that night, Wu was sitting at home eating pizza with friends and taking in this monumental moment. But what he didn't know until he saw the First Lady was that she was wearing his one-shouldered white gown that he designed for her. Wu had no warning, not even a hint that Michelle would be wearing his design. Wu was working with Ikram Goldman from Ikram in Chicago, to design a dress for Michelle for a formal occassion. The only memo he got was that the dress had to sparkle. Jason never had the opportunity to meet Michelle but when he finished the dress, he personally delievered it to Chicago. The dress laid on his lap during the entire flight. Wu recalled "there was no way I was checking it in." So when Jason was watching the Inagural Ball he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Michelle wearing his one-of-a-kind gown.

This truly shows the kind of woman Michelle is and the kind of First Lady she will be. She could have picked anyone from Valentino to Armani, as she undoubtedly had all the fashion houses hoping she would choose one of their gowns. But she went with a young 26 year old designer that she knew, this moment would change his life. All this power in one dress, its incredible.

Jason Wu was born and raised in Taipei and came to Vancover when he was a boy. At age nine he learned how to sew, draft patterens and sketch. He later went to study fashion in Tokyo and finished his senior year of high school in Paris, where he realized his dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Next, Wu enrolled in the prestigous Parsons School of Design. Parsons alumni includes Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Narciso Rodriguez, the list goes on. In January 2008 and July 2008 he was nominated as a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.

Now, Jason is gearing up for Fashion week, his sixth show, and biggest one yet. He will have more press then ever before and be one of the hottest and most anticipated shows. The world knows who he is now and will be waiting to see what he will do next. Fingers crossed Michelle will be at Fashion week sitting in the first row at Jason's upcoming show.




The accessories were perfectly chosen.



The dress will be donated to the Smithsonian museum.


Jason Wu in W Magazine last year with Gemma Ward