Former FLOTUS and style icon Michelle Obama chose local label Maggie Marilyn for her latest public appearance.
Looking so SO fresh, Michelle Obama stepped out in Quebec wearing a custom Maggie Marilyn pinstripe suit made from mint green deadstock fabric. Throughout her career and time in the public eye Michelle has embraced fashion as a means of conveying her values and identity – she knows the power her wardrobe choices can have, and consistently chooses designers that communicate a message.
Maggie Hewitt, founder and designer of Maggie Marilyn, has received acclaim around the world – not only for her striking, romantic designs, but for her commitment to shaping her business around a sustainable approach.
As with Michelle’s suit, Hewitt regularly utilises deadstock fabrics – alongside other measures such as local production, fair wages, recycled materials, compostable packaging and biodegradable garment bags, telling FQ: “I believe it is our role to educate our customers, to show them that beautiful clothes can be made in an equally beautiful supply chain where every person is empowered. It is my mission to show people that, through our purchasing power, we have the opportunity to have a regenerative impact on our planet.”
At her recent NZ Fashion Week show Maggie aimed to make the runway event as environmentally friendly as possible. “There is just so much unnecessary waste that goes into the production of fashion shows. We would urge everyone to look at all aspects of their show and how they can re-use, re-purpose, recycle or re-home everything that is used.”
This is just the latest success for Maggie Marilyn; the brand’s very first stockist was Net-a-Porter, and pieces have been worn by taste-makers from the Duchess of Sussex to Kendall Jenner. Maggie shared her thoughts on the topic with FQ recently, saying: “Success, to me, will always be measured by the positive impact Maggie Marilyn can have on our community and the fashion industry at large.”
Michelle Obama chose Maggie Marilyn for her appearance at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City. The audience was 8,000 people strong, consisting of young men and women, and Michele spoke about the emancipation of women, family politics, and risk taking. “We need young people to feel they have the power to do everything.”
This isn’t the first time Michelle has shown her love for New Zealand fashion (she wore a denim suit by Karen Walker for her book tour in 2018) and we look forward to seeing which Kiwi designer she chooses next.
