Word: scaasi
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...Arnold Scaasi dressed his first First Lady in 1958, when he was called upon by Mamie Eisenhower. Over the years, he has maintained a relationship with the White House, most notably as Barbara Bush's chief couturier but also with her daughter-in-law Laura and, on one occasion, Hillary Clinton. In interviews and in his new book, Women I Have Dressed (and Undressed), Scaasi ruminates easily on the comeliness of Mamie's bosom or how Barbara looks in nothing but a slip. Yet there is one topic he considers inappropriate to discuss--with either his Washington wives...
Whether or not they share his philosophy, the vast majority of American fashion designers seem to share Scaasi's restraint. This fall a crush of actors and musicians is employing every shred of their public clout to sway voters toward a particular candidate, risking as much criticism as praise. Though silence on topics outside one's immediate purview is no doubt appreciated in many quarters, the closest a prominent U.S. designer is likely to get to such activism is to dress a Dixie Chick. Like other artists, designers must constantly monitor and process the public mood to create a relevant...
...Scaasi does allow that when Hillary Clinton moved into the White House, he at first had no interest in working with her. His reluctance had little to do with ideology; he was merely concerned about offending Barbara Bush. The fear of alienating friends or customers is a potent one, particularly since most major designers boast fewer paying fans than do most major musicians or actors. It's the kind of trepidation that Stacey Bendet, designer of the line Alice + Olivia, has encountered since co-founding the collective Democracy in Fashion. Bendet, 26, an ardent and open Democrat, has been recruiting...
Fashionistas handed Laura Bush the verdict even before the end of her first 100 days: Honey, you ain't in Austin, Teaxs, anymore. So last month the First Lady hired designer Arnold Scaasi to spruce up her look. The choice is not exactly fashion-forward: Scaasi also dresses mother-in-law Barbara. But he vows to make Laura look "snappier," in vivid colors like turquoise ("tur-kwaz") and "a bright bottle green." (The red that Oscar de la Renta put her in, right, may be a foretaste.) We asked Scaasi and celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch to appraise the First Lady...
REDRESSING GRIEVANCES From left, boxy green suit: "She has a beautiful figure!" raves Scaasi. "The biggest change will be in the proportion" of her suits. Red Inaugural gown: "Didn't hate it, didn't love it," says Bloch, who'd prefer to see her in "cool, hip" American designers, like Karan or Klein. Blue Inaugural coat: "That blue is pure Washington," says Bloch. "There is no blue like that in nature! Achh!" Purple plaid suit, worn to meet Hillary Clinton: "Fire whoever put you in that!" snaps Bloch. Off-white gown, worn to Jacqueline Kennedy exhibit at the Met: Should...