Melania Trump donates her white and black-trimmed inaugural ball gown to the Smithsonian

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump said “it's incredible” to see her white and black-trimmed inaugural ball gown on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.

It's the second inaugural gown she has turned over to the First Ladies Collection at the museum, following the donation of her 2017 gown.

On Friday, Melania Trump continued the long-standing tradition of first ladies donating their inaugural gowns when she handed over the strapless white and black-trimmed sheath and a black neckpiece adorned with a reproduction of a Harry Winston diamond brooch she wore on the night of Jan. 20, 2025. The ensemble was on display on a mannequin on stage.

She gave brief remarks about the gown, its meaning and her love of fashion design, and described it as more than a dress.

“This is more than 50 years of education, experience, and wisdom realized with each thread, each stitch, each sharp edge,” she said. “The meticulously formed black shape ‘Z’ on the front bodice summons decades of my early memories, life experiences, and influences. And, all of these stories are tucked deep within its crisp, strong seams — forever.”

The first lady, a former fashion model, said fashion design is another form of creative expression and that the black and white in the gown “sets a mood rich with emotion.”

“This dress speaks with a distinct point of view, a modern silhouette, bold and dignified, and ruthlessly chic,” she said.

After a short program, the mannequin was taken upstairs and added to the first ladies' exhibit, which features more than two dozen of their gowns. Melania Trump and Herve Pierre, her longtime stylist and the designer of both of her gowns, came to see the gown in its see-through case.

“It's incredible. It's a historic moment," she said when a reporter asked how it felt to see the gown on display. The museum was reopening to the public Friday afternoon.