Press Release - First Lady Melania Trump Donates Inaugural Couture Piece to the First Ladies Collection at the National Museum of American History

First Lady Melania Trump today donated the couture piece that she wore to the 2017 inaugural balls to the First Ladies Collection at the National Museum of American History. The dress was added to the exhibition featuring 26 dresses worn by former first ladies.

The couture piece, which was designed by Herve Pierre in collaboration with Mrs. Trump, is a vanilla silk crepe off-the-shoulder gown with a slit skirt, accent from neckline to hem, and claret ribbon around the waist.

First Lady Melania Trump stated: "Today is such an honor as I dedicate my inaugural couture piece to the First Ladies exhibit at the National Museum of American History. In addition to celebrating fashion, which is something I have loved since I was a small child, there is no better way to memorialize such a special evening, and new chapter in the life of our family."

"It was an honor to work collaboratively with First Lady Melania Trump to design the couture piece that she wore to this year's inaugural balls," stated fashion designer Herve Pierre. "This has truly been a wonderful journey – from the extraordinary collaboration, to creating the piece, to seeing her wear it on an historic night, and now having it preserved in history forever in such an iconic exhibit—is something I will always cherish. "

The First Ladies exhibition encourages visitors to the museum to consider the changing role played by the First Lady and American women over the past 200 years.