The first lady stole the spotlight in a strapless gold gown while Barack Obama spoke the final time as president.
Cementing her status as style icon, first lady Michelle
Obama once again stole the spotlight as the Congressional Black Caucus' Annual
Phoenix Awards, where Barack Obama was speaking on Saturday evening for the
final time as president.
The event, held in Washington, D.C., pays tribute to the
legacy and achievements of individuals who have positively impacted the
African-American experience. The evening’s honorees included Hillary Clinton, recipient
of the Trailblazer Award.
MORE: Barack and Michelle Obama Open Up About Life After the White House
Wearing a strapless gold Naeem Khan ball gown with
hand-painted gold leaf on black tulle, it was hard to take your eyes of the
first lady -- and even the president had to acknowledge his wife.
“I’ve been so blessed to have a wife and a partner on this
journey who makes it look so easy,” Obama said to applause as he spoke about
their 10-year journey from the Senate to the White House. “And is so strong
answer so honest and so beautiful and so smart.”
The evening look is just the latest in a series of stunning
outfits, including Obama’s understatement silk blue dress custom-designed by
Christian Siriano that she wore at the Democratic National Convention in July.
Siriano, who had a headline-making summer, told ET about
working with the first lady. “We make a dress [and] we hope it works,” he says.
“It's really funny when I have sometimes been working with younger actresses
and they are so intense. I’m like, ‘I've had less fittings on the first lady’s
dress than on you.’”
MORE: Michelle Obama Channels Lady Gaga in Stunning White Gown at State Dinner
As stress-free as designing for Obama may have been, it was
still a huge moment to have a dress on the first lady as she delivered a stirring speech about the importance of
female and black role models while declaring, "I'm with her."
"It's super important. She supports American designers,
which is really great," Siriano says, "and that's what we’re all here
to do: We're here to make women feel their best."
