Queen Camilla and Melania Trump both chose uplifting and elegant looks for the first day of the King and Queen’s State Visit to America. However, both women also showed their singular personal styles.
Landing at Joint Base Andrews on Monday afternoon, Camilla alighted from the plane in an elegant candyfloss pink coatdress by Dior. She then made a quick change into a white chiffon dress with black embroidery detailing by one of her long-time favourite designers, Anna Valentine for her arrival at the White House.
Queen Camilla arrives in a Dior coatdress by British designer Jonathan Anderson – Getty
Melania greeted the King and Queen wearing a skirt suit in buttercup yellow, one of this season’s most fashion-forward hues. Her strictly tailored look, accessorised with snakeskin stilettos, was by American designer Adam Lippes, marking a relatively rare patriotic wardrobe choice from the First Lady who usually favours European labels.
Why did Melania choose lemon yellow? Perhaps because it’s a delicate pastel, beautifully suited to the spring weather. But it could also have been a subtle nod to the new White House beehive which the Trumps showed off to the King and Queen after tea.
Similarly, Queen Camilla may have chosen Anna Valentine’s pristine white dress as part of a literal “white at the White House” dressing strategy. It’s certainly a tactic loved by the royals – previous examples include florals for the Chelsea Flower Show and nautical stripes for Royal Navy engagements.
Melania Trump welcomes the royals in a buttercup yellow Adam Lippes suit – Getty
By wearing two different outfits, the Queen underlined the diplomatic importance of this trip and the behind-the-scenes planning which had gone into making every moment impactful. While she could have stayed in the same outfit all day, by changing she added pace and a little extra excitement to proceedings.
Wearing Dior at the beginning of this State visit – albeit very briefly – was another carefully thought-through decision. Dior is one of Melania Trump’s favourite labels and one she has often chosen at the expense of American designers.
The Queen’s choice of designer is a subtle nod to Melania Trump’s favourite label – Reuters
Rather than opting for an outfit with an obvious message of international fashion diplomacy, the Queen selected to speak to the First Lady’s personal style interests. Indeed, it created something of a full circle style moment as Melania wore a Dior Couture suit when she arrived in the UK for last September’s State Visit, although her look was a sombre black and aubergine whereas Queen Camilla’s pink coatdress projected a softer message.
Melania Trump’s best-known Dior ensemble was the tomato-red skirt suit she wore during a visit to France in 2017, but she’s also worn the LVMH-owned house for the State of the Union address, a meeting with Prince Harry, a Christmas tree unveiling and many other occasions. Her relationship with the label goes back a long way; she wore a $100,000 Dior gown for her wedding to Donald Trump in 2005, a fashion moment captured for posterity on the cover of American Vogue.
United States First Lady Melania Trump wearing a skirt suit during a visit to France in 2017 – Getty
The Queen’s Dior coat does have wider significance, too. The label’s current creative director is Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson, so she is flying the flag for British talent. Indeed, the belt and pocket details on Camilla’s coat echo Anderson’s sleek aesthetic and create a more ‘60s feel compared with the feminine silhouette of the Queen’s previous Dior pieces.
She accessorised her outfit with a brooch made by Cartier in 1957 for Elizabeth II. It features the flags of the UK and USA and was a gift to the late Queen from Robert F. Wagner, then mayor of New York.
There will be more fashion statements on Tuesday, when a State Banquet will be held at the White House in the King and Queen’s honour.