Avenue - March 2009

Roopal Patel, Jason Wu

Veronica Webb,

Jason Wu

Charlotte Ronson, Jason Wu

Lydia Hearst, Jason Wu, Patricia Field

Maggie Betts, Jason Wu, Stephanie LaCava,

Jennifer Hudson, Jason Wu

OLIVIA CHANTECAILLE: Have you met Michelle Obama? JASON WU: I have not.

OC: So what inspired the dress that you designed for her? JW: It was really all about her. I didn’t know I was doing the inauguration dress. I knew I was making a dress for her. I flew to Chicago with the dress, which is like way taller than me. But the inauguration is a big deal. I didn’t know when or where she was going to wear it.

OC: Big question: how has this affected your business, or has it not yet? JW: Well, it has in a way, within the last six months.

First lady Michelle Obama moves her dress’ train as she dances with President Barack Obama at the Youth Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2009.

OC: When I talk about you with my friends now, everyone’s like, “Oh! Jason Wu!” You’re definitely a name on the map now. So that’s the difference I’ve noticed. It’s bigger than being on Oprah. JW: Well, that’s pretty big, too. The show’s pretty amazing.

OC: Why did you choose white? JW: Cool tone. I really think white is such a beautiful color.

OC: I kind of liked the idea of white. It’s very clean and pure and new... JW: It’s kind of like a new beginning.

(AP PHOTO/CHARLES DHARAPAK)

OC: How does it work? Did you sketch and send it to her, and she approved it? JW: Yeah.

OC: Now I feel like you’re established. So besides Michelle Obama, who is the kind of woman you are designing for? JW: Well, you. It’s a very feminine collection. It’s flowy. It’s for a woman who knows what she likes. One thing—when I started, contemporary was very popular. Young designers were designing trendy things. And I was never a trendy person, so I never would have been able to do it.

OC: And did you get the measurements? JW: Yeah, but I didn’t do the final fitting myself.

OC: Is there anyone you would like to dress? JW: Anne Hathaway, Freida Pinto—she’s like number one.

OC: Did they do that at the store? JW: I think they did that in Washington.

OC: Your dresses are so special. The quality is great. You’ll walk into a

store and everyone will have the same dress on with the same logo. JW: I think luxury is not having logos everywhere. You’ll never see that on any of my stuff.

OC: I like that you’re not afraid of color. You use color, but not in a very garish way—chic, elegant. It’s like that elegant woman who’s carefree and doesn’t obsess about what she wears. JW: Well, that’s what I hope to do. And it has to be about the woman.

OC: So where do you get your inspiration? Does it come from the street, your travel, your mother? JW: I think a little bit of everything. I draw a lot from what I see. The way I saw it will be different from the way anyone else saw something. And, like, fairy tales.

OC: I’m a big dress girl; I think dresses are wonderful. JW: They’re great. You pick one and you’re finished, you’re done.

OC: Do you ever see yourself owning your own store maybe? JW: One day, yes. Not right now; down the road. It would be a small boutique. I’m not into big commercial things.