Although not her most-donned fashion designer, nothing was going to come between first lady Michelle Obama and her Calvins – except maybe Michael Kors.
Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa was awarded the National Design Award for fashion – the industry equivalent of the Academy Awards – by Mrs. Obama in a White House ceremony on Friday, marking a decade since innovators in architecture, fashion, interior design, landscaping, communications and product design were first celebrated annually by the President and first lady.
To the surprise of many in attendance, Obama – who has worn Kors on numerous public occasions, ranging from his black sheath in her first official portrait to his white embroidered cotton batiste last week at a Country music celebration to a black knit dress as she debarked Air Force One in Ghana on the first family’s trip to Africa – handed the award to Costa in, yes, a canary yellow skirt and matching cap sleeve jacket by the “Project Runway” judge.
But that didn’t seem to bother Costa, who showed his amazing sense of humility earlier in the day at the Corcoran Museum – alongside outstanding interior design recipients Calvin Tsao and Zack McKown – as part of Friday’s educational series occurring at museums across the District. Costa spoke about his gratitude for the first lady’s emphasis on the importance of arts in education.
