Michelle Obama, Maven-in-Chief

First Lady featured on Vogue's March cover

If there were any doubts that Michelle Obama has officially become the First Lady of Fashion, Vogue Magazine would like to put them to rest.

The First Lady is set to grace the cover of tthe March issue of the fashion magazine, which is due out on shelves February 17.

Posing for Vogue is somewhat of a White House tradition. Only one first lady, Bess Truman, has bowed out of the shoot since the fashion magazine started snapping pics of the FLOTUS in 1929.

But Michelle is a cut above the other White House model. She becomes only the second First Lady to actually make the cover. The other: Hillary Clinton. Clinton's pant suits may not conjure images of haute couture, but Obama is definitely a style maven.

She sported a magenta silk dress designed by Jason Wu,who also designed her white frock from inauguration night. Her pics were taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Vogue's editor at large Andre Leon Talley, who conducted an interview with Obama for a companion peice, called his "one of the best experiences of my life."

"She's so accessible, natural and normal. There's nothing affected about her," he said.

Much of the eight-page feature inside is devoted to Mrs. Obama's self-described role as "mom in chief" to 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha.

"I'm going to try to take them to school every morning, as much as I can," she said. "But there's also a measure of independence. And obviously there will be times I won't be able to drop them off at all. I like to be a presence in my kids' school. I want to know the teachers; I want to know the other parents."

Being Vogue, though, the conversation eventually turns to clothes.

Mrs. Obama said she is aware of how her wardrobe is being scrutinized, but she makes no apologies for her choices — even the Election Night combination of ripped-from-the-runway, fashion-forward dress and plain-Jane cardigan.

"I'm not going to pretend that I don't care about it," she said. "But I also have to be very practical. In the end, someone will always not like what you wear — people just have different tastes."

She did choose outfits for the Vogue photos from labels she has worn before: Wu, who made her inaugural gown; Narcisco Rodriguez, the designer of that Election Night dress; and J. Crew, which she and her children have famously worn.

Most cover models have their clothes chosen for them by Vogue, or at least editors work as advisers. Not this time.

"She doesn't need any help. She loves fashion and knows what works for her," Talley said. "She's never had a conversation with me about, `What do you think?' or `How did this look?' And I'm glad for that."

 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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