Melania Trump skips gown for striking Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana look at Xi dinner
WASHINGTON, DC: Melania Trump brought a sharp monochrome look to the White House on Thursday evening, September 24, as she joined President Donald Trump for a state dinner honoring Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan.
The First Lady opted for tailored black pants instead of a traditional gown, pairing them with a Saint Laurent blouse featuring oversized bow detailing. She completed the look with black pointed-toe heels and diamond stud earrings.
Melania Trump chooses Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana
Melania, 56, appeared to be wearing a $2,300 button-up blouse by Saint Laurent with a large bow around the neck.
She paired it with black embossed high-waisted Dolce & Gabbana pants, seemingly priced at $1,945.
Her honey-colored hair was swept back from her face, keeping the attention on the structured outfit and its simple black-and-white palette.
Melania has previously drawn attention for choosing pants at high-profile events rather than sticking to traditional First Lady fashion.
Personal stylist and image consultant Cynthia Kennedy previously told the Daily Mail that Melania's choices reflect an independent approach to dressing.
"She's not doing what people expect. She's not wearing safe, dull, traditional First Lady fashion," Kennedy said in April.
"She's wearing what she wants, from her favorite designers – mostly European luxury brands like Dolce & Gabbana – and she's making it clear that this job is something she's doing on her own terms," she added.
Kennedy also described Melania's choices as strategic, saying, "She's showing that she's on a completely different playing field and follows her own rules.”
Melania Trump's White House dinner brings US and China together
The Trumps hosted the Chinese delegation in the East Room, where both presidents were set to deliver remarks.
The guest list included senior Cabinet officials and American business leaders, including executives from Apple, NVIDIA, Microsoft and Tesla.
Melania's office said it had personally arranged the evening's decorations, with red linens, Reagan-era vermeil and large urns filled with crimson dahlias.
The First Lady noted that the color red was chosen because of its longstanding cultural significance throughout Chinese history.
The evening also featured several performances, including military musicians and inauguration tenor Christopher Macchio.
Guests raised glasses of Schramsberg "Blanc De Noir" for a symbolic toast linked to the historic 1972 "Toast to Peace" between Richard Nixon and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in China.
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping continue high-profile visit
Xi's state dinner came after he arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening for a formal welcome from Donald Trump.
Trump personally greeted Xi at the airport, while Melania had previously explained the decision to welcome the Chinese president herself.
“He decided to do it because they have a great relationship," she said. "And we need to welcome them with the most respect."
Earlier Thursday, Trump and Melania welcomed Xi and Peng at the White House with an arrival ceremony on the State Floor.
The event was followed by a military review in the Rose Garden and bilateral meetings between the two presidents.
Xi Jinping's US visit continues on Friday
The state dinner was not the final event of Xi's visit.
On Friday, Trump and Melania are scheduled to host Xi and Peng for tea at the White House before taking them to the National Archives, where they will view key US founding documents.
Xi and Peng will then depart from Joint Base Andrews.
