So, it’s clear that your wheels are always turning. What was going through your mind when designing Michelle Obama's inauguration gown?

I: "The importance of the moment. Dressing that moment. See, it goes back to the Met — that sense of history. How do I want to dress her? How do I want her to feel? How do I want people to feel as they’re looking at her? And, of course, knowing that this garment was going to be looked at by absolutely everyone in the world! But a feeling came to me when I looked at that fabric. I realized it didn't really matter what I was making — it was how I was going to put it all together. It was like alchemy. And in the end…she was glowing."

R: "It was amazing how many people sent us the cheap Simplicity pattern version of Isabel’s design later on. And it seemed like every country wanted to claim the fabric — but it was actually from Switzerland. It's flattering, really. Isabel loves using colors that cannot really be described. It’s kind of her thing. It goes back to that outfit she had on the first day we met. She loves things that out live time."

I: "I also love how everyone saw the color in a different way — and couldn't really describe it. It was yellow, gold, lemongrass...so, making people look at it from their point of view was a big deal. It lives longer this way. The minute you say claim the color, the moment passes."


Looking into a display case with Isabel and Ruben's book,“Roots of Style: Weaving Together Life, Love and Fashion.”