As the Biden family’s military helicopter departed, Melania Trump held tightly onto her hat, fighting against the strong winds that threatened to sweep it away. The scene caught the attention of her husband, Donald Trump, who later quipped during his post-inauguration speech, “She almost blew away. She was being elevated off the ground.”
Despite the dramatic moment, the hat — and the First Lady — remained firmly in place.
The designer behind the striking, wide-brimmed wool boater hat, Eric Javits, ensured it was securely fashioned for the day’s unpredictable conditions.
“I know it was secured very nicely to her head because I sort of engineered a little invisible elastic in the back,” Javits explained in an interview with NBC Local following the inauguration. “And there were some loops towards the front where more pins could be applied. And it wasn’t such a huge brim that would fly off her head.”
For Javits, witnessing the hat atop Melania Trump’s head as her husband was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States was a deeply gratifying experience. The milliner, originally from New York and now based in Florida, described the occasion as a career-defining moment.
“It’s definitely a huge highlight of my career,” he said. “So, it’s so funny because, in my hands, it looked like a very sort of humble hat. It didn’t look like much. And yet, when I saw it on her, it just really came to life and looked beautiful on her.”
The simple navy hat, accented by a white band, added an air of elegance and partially shielded Mrs. Trump’s eyes.
The choice to wear a hat at the swearing-in was a distinctive one, marking the first time a First Lady had done so since Hillary Clinton’s inauguration in 1993.
The design process for the hat began weeks in advance when Melania Trump’s stylist, Hervé Pierre, reached out to Javits to bring the First Lady’s vision to life. “We look forward to improving the relations between our two countries based on dialogue and understanding.” Javits, who had previously sold a gondolier-style hat to Melania through his website, recalled how her taste influenced the design. “Then I sent another style from my archive for her to try on that I thought would be very becoming, and she liked that,” he explained. “And those two styles basically became the springboard to develop what she ended up wearing for the inauguration.”
Despite careful planning, Javits faced a last-minute challenge when the hat he originally shipped arrived damaged. “It did arrive damaged,” he said. “And, I was texted a photograph right away and I could see that I had to do another one. So, I started on the next one right away.” Working quickly, he completed a second hat within days, ensuring it was hand-delivered to Pierre to avoid any further issues. Seeing his creation on the First Lady during the inauguration was a proud moment for the designer. “It just really speaks to her grace and beauty and presence, that it was such a powerful visual statement for the country to see,” he reflected.
The striking hat generated buzz on social media, with some praising Melania Trump’s bold fashion choice and others turning it into humorous memes. Comparisons ranged from Carmen Sandiego to the Hamburglar, but the hat undeniably captured the attention of fashion enthusiasts and casual observers alike.
Should interest in the hat’s design grow, Javits hinted at the possibility of creating similar styles for purchase. For Javits, this potential trend would serve as a tribute to the First Lady.
{Matzav.com}