Sure, Jason Wu has become a household name, and J. Crew’s sales have soared every time first lady Michelle Obama or her daughters have been pictured wearing the store’s preppy duds, but not every designer who has gotten the Obama bump has sustained it.
Take Chicago’s Maria Pinto for example. Remember the turquoise beaded dress Obama wore when she spoke at the Democratic National Convention? That was a Pinto.
And how about the purple “fist bump” dress Obama wore the night her husband secured the Democratic nomination? That was a Pinto, too.
But, unfortunately for Pinto, these iconic looks did not do enough to keep her Chicago boutique afloat.
The designer will close the doors this weekend after a liquidation sale that goes through Saturday, according to the Associated Press.
Pinto said she blames the economy, but remains positive.
“I’m excited about the opportunity of repositioning myself,” the designer told the AP. “It’s hard to think about the future when you’re still in the moment.”
