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In addition to serving as campaign manager and now counselor to Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway showed up at the inauguration on Friday morning apparently having claimed another title: the most high-fashion person in Washington.
Conway arrived to the morning’s inaugural activities wearing a $3,600 Gucci coatdress with blue sleeves, a little red collar, and two lines of wildcat-shaped buttons running down the white front — all topped off with a bright red hat. The look was reminiscent of a majorette outfit and decidedly not made or designed in America. (That would be Italy.)
“Trump revolutionary wear!” Conway beamed in an on-camera interview with NBC, giving a little salute.
The coat comes from Gucci’s resort 2017 show, which was staged in Westminster Abbey last summer, and, as Net-a-Porter’s product description points out, was in fact “inspired by the city of London.”
This look speaks to Conway’s position in Trump’s ecosystem. Melania and Ivanka Trump are direct contributors to the Trump family image, and have chosen inauguration outfits that show support for American designers without causing a fuss (Melania) and reinforce a personal brand that’s all about tasteful, glamorous professionalism (Ivanka). They can use their style choices strategically, but always have to be cognizant of avoiding blowback.
Conway, on the other hand, has more leeway to run a little wild in an eye-catching outfit. And her interpretation of the made-in-Italy, inspired-by-London look as an all-American gesture? Well, it’s all in the spin.
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