Obama in India: Michelle Obama's choice of dress lands Indian-American designer Bibhu Mohapatra in seventh heaven

BHUBANESWAR/NEW DELHI: Indian-American fashion designer Bibhu Mohapatra was in for a surprise when one of his friends sent him a picture of a TV grab that showed US first lady Michelle Obama wearing a silk dress from his Spring collection as she landed in New Delhi on Sunday morning.

“It is like a full circle. The first lady in my homeland, wearing one of my clothes,” the 42-year-old Rourkela-born designer said from New York.

The knee-length dress with a matching coat, of blue poppies on a lattice background, is from his collection inspired by another formidable style icon, writer and political activist Nancy Cunard. The lattice is drawn from the cane weave in old furniture still to be found in the bungalows in his home state of Odisha.

During her time in the White House, the first lady, recognised as a style icon in the league of Jacqueline Kennedy, has made wardrobe choices that were more than just sartorial. She has worn Mohapatra’s designs in the past too. While an outfit may be picked and fitted, you really never know when it is going to be worn, said Mohapatra.

“No Matter how successful you are, to have Michelle Obama support you in such a public way, on a historic occasion being watched by the world, is a huge exposure for your brand. I am extremely grateful to her and everyone else who has supported me so far,” said Mohapatra, who lost his father, his only surviving parent, a month ago.

Mohapatra has been working in the US for nearly two decades and has celebrity clients, including actors and businesswomen. In India, celebrities like Sonam Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra wear his creations, he said.

The designer also works with traditional Indian textiles and craft. A few years ago, he had done a special ikat sari project along with a few other designers for the Odisha government.

On Sunday, Mohapatra tweeted about the dress and posted TV grabs showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeting Michelle and Barack Obama, alongside pictures from his own fashion show. Mohapatra said he had recently made a few dress for Michelle Obama. “Hope she has taken more for the trip.”