"Dream Come True" For Michelle's Designer

Isabel Toledo, Who Made Outfit Mrs. Obama Wore To Swearing-In, Tells Story Behind It, To Maggie Rodriguez

(CBS)  Isabel Toledo is considered an up-and-coming fashion designer who's highly respected within the fashion community but now that well-known to the general public.

All that is about to change. You might say she's gone from up-and-coming to "there."

The Cuban-American designer created the outfit first lady Michelle Obama wore to President Obama's swearing-in Tuesday.

On The Early Show Wednesday, Toledo told co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez she's "feeling good. I'm feeling the energy."

Toledo says she "absolutely" didn't know Mrs. Obama was going to wear her outfit to the inauguration. "It was a dream come true," when Toledo saw it on Mrs. Obama. "I was really so happy to see how optimistic she looked, and how comfortable and warm, actually. I did my job!"

The outfit was "absolutely" meant to be warm, Toledo says. "It was layered. It's a wool lace layered with a silk net and it's got silk inside, about three layers of silk. It's also quilted inside. So, she was ready."

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What did YOU think of Michelle's choice of outfits? Look at pictures by clicking on the link below and vote in the box on the right and down somewhat.

Photos: Michelle’s Inaugural Outfits

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Why the yellow-ish color?

"I called it lemongrass, interestingly enough, because it felt fresh, it felt new, and optimistic. The color really was an optimistic choice, and I wanted to please her in that way."

Lots of work went into making the outfit, Toledo said: "The designing, of course, took a while. And really, about a week-and-a-half to get all the ladies in the studio to accomplish it. Because it had to all be woven together, all the different layers. It was hard work for about a-week-and-a-half nonstop, right before the holidays."

Even though she didn't know Mrs. Obama was going to wear her outfit, Toledo says she felt "an amazing responsibility, really, because I wanted to capture the same emotion I was feeling. I wanted to get that emotion across to people just on the way she looked. I wanted to feel -- I felt hopeful, and I wanted the garment to feel hopeful, and I wanted people to feel that from the garment, and, in fact, to help her get her point across of hope and change and the dream of the future."

Toledo added that Mrs. Obama added her jewelry, green shoes and green gloves on her own. The gloves were J. Crew and the satin pumps, Jimmy Choo.

Washington Post Fashion Editor Robin Givhan told Rodriguez Toledo's outfit was "wonderful" on Mrs. Obama, adding, "As Isabel said, the color was particularly striking. This is a first lady who can wear all sorts of interesting and wonderful colors, so it's nice to see her veer away from the usual red or blue for the swearing-in. And, you know, I thought it was just really terrific that she reached out and chose a designer who's sort of not 'the usual suspect." '

[Cas2dy]

First lady michelle Obama looked positively regal in that gown. The fact that she kept on trying to pick it up was only indicative of the fact that she has to become accustomed to wearing such fabulous garments as she probably never had to before. From her stance and posture, she appears to be a very humble woman who has the fortitude, strength and committment to gracefully meld herself to fit into the new lifestyle her husband''s position has brought her into. She''s not an actress, model or socialite, she never was. She was a working woman, mother and wife. She, along with her husband, are the American dream. God bless them both and all of us too.

[homespunlady]

GOP=Greed
Over
Patriotism

[homespunlady]

It did seem the ball-gown was a tad too long for her - maybe she lost weight to have it drag and puddle that way. My guess - it was a one time wear ad will be sitting in a museum after that so no harm done.

The yellow outfit seemed to fit her and the image she wanted to portray.

All in all the clothes worked out and for the most part maybe highlighted that there are some things still American Made.

Hopefully we''ll see much more of the "MADE IN AMERICA"
label.

It was a SHAME when Sam Walton''s kids chose greed over patriotism, dumped so many AMERICAN manufacturers, brought in cheap and cheaply made foreign peasant and slave labor knock off goods and helped in forcing manufacturing OFFSHORE.

The Ultimate result is they KILLED the goose that had laid their golden eggs here in the US. But by then they didn''t care - their "profit" is now from OVERSEAS stores and we and the economies of the world are just the causalities of the "WEALTH GAP WAR".

Maybe the real story behind those outfits is that the US just MIGHT be going back to MAKING things again rather than following the propaganda that this nation is destined to be sustained on being THE SERVANT - er "service" Economy.

[stef8761]

7 I LOVE THAT THE FIRST LADY IS GIVING LESSER KNOWN DESIGNERS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY , MY FIRST QUESTION IS HOW DO I GET SOMETHING TO HER ? I AM A TALENTED DESIGNER ALSO ,CAN ANYONE OUT THERE HELP ME ? i WANT TO PUT IT IN HER HAND NOT TO BE PLACED ON A DESK SOMEWHERE ?
WHO ARE HER STYLIST ?, I THOUGHT SHE DIDNT HAVE ONE? HELP PLEASE !
7 LASTLY, I DO THINK SHE IS MAKING A STATEMENT NOT TO BOX HER IN AS SHE HAS HER OWN MIND & TASTE, WHICH I FIND VERY REFRESHING !

[stef8761]

7 I LOVE THAT THE FIRST LADY IS GIVING LESSER KNOWN DESIGNERS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY , MY FIRST QUESTION IS HOW DO I GET SOMETHING TO HER ? I AM A TALENTED DESIGNER ALSO ,CAN ANYONE OUT THERE HELP ME ? i WANT TO PUT IT IN HER HAND NOT TO BE PLACED ON A DESK SOMEWHERE ?
WHO ARE HER STYLIST ?, I THOUGHT SHE DIDNT HAVE ONE? HELP PLEASE !
7 LASTLY, I DO THINK SHE IS MAKING A STATEMENT NOT TO BOX HER IN AS SHE HAS HER OWN MIND & TASTE, WHICH I FIND VERY REFRESHING !

[stef8761]

7 I LOVE THAT THE FIRST LADY IS GIVING LESSER KNOWN DESIGNERS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY , MY FIRST QUESTION IS HOW DO I GET SOMETHING TO HER ? I AM A TALENTED DESIGNER ALSO ,CAN ANYONE OUT THERE HELP ME ? i WANT TO PUT IT IN HER HAND NOT TO BE PLACED ON A DESK SOMEWHERE ?
WHO ARE HER STYLIST ?, I THOUGHT SHE DIDNT HAVE ONE? HELP PLEASE !
7 LASTLY, I DO THINK SHE IS MAKING A STATEMENT NOT TO BOX HER IN AS SHE HAS HER OWN MIND & TASTE, WHICH I FIND VERY REFRESHING !

[barbaraf4]

I think Michelle is like a breath of fresh air. Now, would someone advise her to stand up straight and mind her posture? She has beautiful clothes that will hang beautifully if she does.

[notopennshut]

The ball gown was not right, with her having to pick the skirt up constantly! As for that red/black horror, what a shame that it will be forever shown on a historical night. What was she thinking? Lemon grass dress was nice and classy. Get a someone who could advise her better. You can''t always be your own best adviser - just as the rest of the world sees you.

[regats-2009]

Beutiful. A happy, optimistic look, even if it had to be a bit dense to keep Michelle warm in freezing weather.

Pure class.

Just another wonderful change that has come to the White House.

[jennasmith2]

i have to disagree, she looked radiant and the dress reflected her mood. The wind blowing the silk made her outfit all that much more fluid and offset the heavier wool. perfect lemongrass dress for a perfectly delightful celebration.