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Melania Trump Donates Inaugural Gown to Smithsonian

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October 20, 2017

First Lady Melania Trump donated her inaugural ball gown to the to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History on Friday.

The dress, a vanilla silk, off-the-shoulder couture piece created by French-born designer Hervé Pierre, is now enshrined in the Smithsonian's First Ladies Collection in Washington, D.C., which features 26 dresses worn by former first ladies.

"Today is such an honor as I dedicate my inaugural couture piece to the First Ladies exhibit at the National Museum of American History," Trump said. "In addition to celebrating fashion, which is something I have loved since I was a small child, there is no better way to memorialize such a special evening, and new chapter in the life of our family."

Pierre was also glad to see his design in the Smithsonian.

"It was an honor to work collaboratively with First Lady Melania Trump to design the couture piece that she wore to this year's inaugural balls," Pierre said. "This has truly been a wonderful journey—from the extraordinary collaboration, to creating the piece, to seeing her wear it on an historic night, and now having it preserved in history forever in such an iconic exhibit—is something I will always cherish."