The Designers Melania Trump Will Never Wear Because They Reportedly Won't Dress Her

Many high-profile American fashion designers — including Zac Posen, Christian Siriano, Derek Lam, Tom Ford, and Phillip Lim — have clearly stated that they have no plans to dress the former first lady, Melania Trump. That's hardly surprising in a cultural climate where consumer goods have become increasingly politicized.

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Siriano, who designed the blue dress that former First Lady Michelle Obama wore to speak at the Democratic National Convention, explained why he's unlikely to dress the Republican figure. "It would be hard for anyone, especially for someone like myself, a young gay fashion designer. I can't support a campaign where I might not have the same rights," he said.

But while Siriano has thrown stylish support behind the Obamas — and expressed an eagerness to dress Michelle in the future — Posen has taken a slightly different tack. "Right now, I'm staying away from bringing my brand into politics," he explained in an interview with the Daily Beast. "There are issues that are being questioned that are fundamentally upsetting to me — deeply: LGBT rights, immigration, funding for the arts, Planned Parenthood, and women's rights. These are just issues that are very close to my heart, and I use my own private voice and funds to fight for them and in support of them."

Despite former First Lady Melania Trump's early years in high-fashion — she was a fashion model prior to her marriage to former President Donald Trump — the fashion industry leans Democratic, and designers are rejecting associations with her husband's campaign's policies. With so many American designers unwilling to make custom clothing for Trump, her stylist Hervé Pierre — former creative director for Carolina Herrera — reports that he often shops retail for her looks. This is unusual in comparison with previous administrations. "Designers wouldn't lend to Melania, Ivanka or Tiffany, so they either bought the items themselves or wore Ivanka's brand," a source told People.

Trump has appeared in some select American designers, including Michael Kors and Calvin Klein, and is often seen wearing European brands including the French-designed Dior, Italian-based Dolce & Gabbana, or English label Alexander McQueen, high-end designers well-suited to her lavish life and luxurious public persona.

In an interview with "The View," Ford offered the opinion that it was inappropriate for political figures — regardless of party — to appear in high-end designer looks. "They're too expensive. And I don't mean this in a bad way ... [Trump needs] to relate to everybody," explained Ford, who says he felt the same about Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, for whom he voted.