Last night, the Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C. concluded the day-long proceedings celebrating the official inauguration of president Donald Trump—the nation’s 47th president. Following the swearing-in ceremony, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump—as well as several other members of the Trump family—headed over to the Liberty Ball, where guests such as Eric Trump and wife Lara Trump, Vice President JD Vance and wife Usha Vance, and First Daughter Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner all donned their finest formal attire. But it was Ivanka’s custom ball gown that held a deeper story.
Appearing on the main stage to engage in a formal waltz, Trump wore a custom black and white Givenchy gown that served as a recreation of the same 1954 haute couture silhouette that Hubert de Givenchy created for Audrey Hepburn, which she can be seen wearing in the film Sabrina alongside co-star Humphrey Bogart. The strapless dress, complete with a full skirt and fitted bodice, was complete with intricate black lace detailing; Trump wore it with black opera gloves, while Hepburn originally wore it with a white pair. Trump accessorized it with diamond jewels.
The design for Trump was created by Givenchy’s haute couture atelier. It’s not the first time Trump has paid homage to an Old Hollywood classic with her fashion choices. Back in 2022, while attending sister Tiffany Trump’s wedding at Mar-a-Lago, she donned a blue Galia Lahav dress that was virtually identical to the style that Grace Kelly wore in the 1955 film To Catch a Thief. Trump clearly has a thing for reviving archival references. But her approach to do so within the political realm brings a larger question to light: Why? Given politicians often embed their outfits with powerful or meaningful choices—see Dr. Jill Biden’s patriotic wardrobe in shades of red, white, and blue—Trump’s wardrobe appears to be built on artifice and aesthetics instead. It may be an intentional choice: Perhaps Trump prefers to keep her wardrobe surface-level. But her nod to upbeat Hollywood glamour, on stage that holds so much weight for Americans, felt misguided.
A representative from the White House said that Trump was “honored” to wear the Givenchy design last night, adding that she is “incredibly grateful for the Arnault family and the Givenchy atelier for creating this masterpiece, capturing the original artistry and elegance with remarkable precision and craftsmanship. Audrey Hepburn has long been a personal inspiration to Ivanka, She views it as a great privilege to honor her legacy in this way, and is incredibly grateful to the team at Givenchy for bringing this moment to life.”