Although some may feel snubbed by the brevity of Barack Obama's coming Ottawa visit, or the Buy American clause in his stimulus package, the latest cover of Vogue suggests Canada's love for the Obamas may not go unrequited.
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Michelle Obama has graced the cover of Vogue in a magenta sleeveless dress designed by a former resident of British Columbia.
New-York-based designer Jason Wu lived in Vancouver for barely five years and spent most of that time at boarding school in the United States. But for a country so enamoured with Mr. Obama that our national public radio broadcaster made him a playlist of our favourite songs, the dress choice seems a swoon-worthy gesture.
And not the first.
The one-shouldered, flowing chiffon gown Ms. Obama wore to the inaugural balls last month was also one of Mr. Wu's creations. The 26-year-old fashion prodigy has never met Ms. Obama and had no idea she intended to wear his gown until she swanned across the ballroom floor on his television screen.
The Vogue cover was also a surprise, as Ms. Obama personally selected her attire for the shoot.
Since Lou Hoover in 1929, every first lady except Bess Truman has posed for a portrait inside the pages of Vogue. But Ms. Obama joins her husband's former rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton, as one of only two first ladies to grace the magazine's cover. And her brightly coloured dress designed by a fashion newcomer stands in stark contrast to the dark, demure Oscar de la Renta evening gown worn by Ms. Clinton for her cover in 1998.
During the primaries, shortly before Mr. Obama's upset win in Iowa, Ms. Clinton pulled out of a scheduled portrait and interview with the magazine, reportedly because she was apprehensive of appearing too feminine. By contrast, Ms. Obama has grabbed the attention of the fashion establishment, including Vogue, by embracing her femininity and rejecting the pantsuit status quo.
"I love clothes," she told the magazine. "First and foremost, I wear what I love. That's what women have to focus on: what makes them happy and what makes them feel comfortable and beautiful. If I can have any impact, I want women to feel good about themselves and have fun with fashion."
Mr. Wu was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and moved with his family to Vancouver at the age of 9. Around that time his penchant for design began to manifest itself and he began sewing, drafting patterns and sketching in fashion proportions by using dolls as mannequins.
He began his career designing fashion dolls as a teenager and became the creative director of a toy company when he was 17. He later studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York, interned with Narciso Rodriquez (who designed the black and red dress Ms. Obama wore the night her husband was elected) and launched his own label three years ago.
Mr. Wu's designs, characterized by delicate fabrics cinched at the waist to create flowing hourglass shapes, have draped the figures of Leighton Meister, Amber Valetta and Gretchen Mol. They're available at such U.S. stores as Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, but are currently not available in Canada.
