Michelle Obama Purple Gown Korea White House Dinner

Michelle Obama dazzled at the S Korea state dinner in a beautiful eggplant colored dress…

From the basement of her parents dry cleaning store to the White House, Doo-Ri Chung has come a long way. On Thursday night, First Lady Michelle Obama debuted a gown created by the 38-year-old Korean-American designer at the White House state dinner. The Doo.Ri one-shouldered purple gown with an embellished, belted waist, made a striking statement as the first couple prepared to enter the gala event in the East Room of the White House on the rainy evening.

Guests of honor South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his wife, Kim Yoon-ok, dressed in a traditional pink and white hanbok, greeted an eclectic crowd that included Tennis legend Billie Jean King and renowned chef David Chang.

Like the four past state dinners hosted by the Obama Administration, pressure was on the first lady to select a style that appeased both political and sartorial pundits. It’s not always an easy task. In January, she was criticized by American designers when she chose a crimson gown by British brand Alexander McQueen for the state dinner with China’s president.

This time around, she hit all the right notes. The brilliant eggplant fabric and shoulder-baring cut, a Mrs. O staple, captured her contemporary elegance. And the choice of an American-born designer with South Korean roots paid respect to the evening’s guests of honor and the national industry that so heavily relies on her backing. Since her husband took office in 2008, Obama has been a one-woman juggernaut turning avant garde, emerging designers into runway superstars overnight.

Stunning.

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