Melania Trump’s Speech May Not Have Been Original, but Her Dress Was.

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 Melania Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on Monday in a Roksanda Ilincic dress.

Melania Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention on Monday evening may have had a striking similarity to some parts of Michelle Obama’s address at the 2008 Democratic convention, but in one aspect, at least, her appearance was original: her clothes.

Unlike pretty much every would-be first lady, Ms. Trump wore a dress not by an American label, but by Roksanda Ilincic, a Serbian-born designer based in London.

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Ms. Trump with her husband, Donald J. Trump, at the convention on Monday. 

In normal circumstances, this probably would have been a big deal; there is a reason that Mrs. Obama, who has done more to break the rules about first ladies wearing only American designers than any other president’s spouse, wore Maria Pinto (2008) and Tracy Reese (2012) for her convention speeches, and that Cindy McCain wore Oscar de la Renta in 2008, as did Ann Romney in 2012. It somewhat undermines a message about renewing the American economy and supporting local industry, after all, when you do not put your money where your husband’s platform is. However, the dress debate (and some people had already started to complain on Twitter) got overshadowed immediately by the speech controversy.

Still, it’s worth revisiting, because Ms. Trump has been such a cipher on the campaign trail so far, and her choice of convention garb was an interesting one because it suggested strategic planning. Especially given that Ms. Trump bought it herself on Netaporter.com, a campaign spokeswoman told WWD, where it sells for $2,190.

Ms. Ilincic’s story parallels Ms. Trump’s nicely: She was born in Serbia, which, like Ms. Trump’s native Slovenia, was part of Yugoslavia at the time; and like Ms. Trump, she found her way out via a career in fashion. It shadows Ms. Trump’s own American fairy tale.

Slovenian-Americans in Cleveland talked about Donald Trump’s wife, a native of what is now Slovenia.

Ms. Ilincic has also become a go-to name for a number of women in the political and global spotlight, including the wife of former Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, Samantha, who wore Roksanda when she and her family left 10 Downing Street last week; the Duchess of Cambridge, who wore Roksanda to Wimbledon; and even Mrs. Obama, who has worn Roksanda numerous times, including on the Asian tour for her Let Girls Learn initiative (though she never wore the label to a convention). The implicit association is notable.

And Ms. Trump’s choice of a white dress, as opposed to the color-blocked styles that have become Roksanda’s signature, sent all sorts of interesting subliminal signals, given that Ms. Trump has rarely spoken on the campaign trail, including that this was effectively her political baptism. Plus, of course, when you are insisting on the purity of your spouse’s motives, it underscores the message.

As for the frock itself, it was conservative — long-sleeved, round-necked — with a hint of grandeur (those fluted sleeves) and a slight twist (a full-length zipper up the back), descriptions that have a certain resonance with Donald J. Trump’s agenda.

That may be reading too much into the dress, but then, Ms. Trump was a model, and she understands the power of the visual cue. Indeed, most of her communication has been through appearance, rather than words. I’d give her the benefit of the doubt on this one, and pay attention to what comes next.

 
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