Hervé Pierre, former creative director for Carolina Herrera, said in an interview with fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar on Wednesday that he was "honored" to dress First Lady Melania Trump for the inaugural ball.
Pierre also said that after he made Trump's dress, other offers came streaming in for his work almost instantaneously, Refinery 29 reported.
Trump took the stage wearing a white off-the-shoulder gown with a high slit reminiscent of a very Angelina fashion moment. It had an architectural ruffle that flowed from shoulder to waist and down to the hem of her dress. Trump left her statement jewelry (save her engagement ring) at home and finished the look with a thin, red belt and matching heels.
After working with Trump to create the gown from scratch, Pierre had some thoughts about how she worked with him and how that could translate to her role as first lady.
"Her next four years as first lady are going to be, like this gown, straight to the point, perhaps with a single measured detail," he said. "I believe it was something modern, which was not done before—thank God. The lines are as sleek as a paper cut; the curves of the skirt are fluid, yet the overall shape is sharp and intense. For me it reflects her personality."
Pierre said that even though he thought it was "sad" other designers turned Trump down, he still did not want to criticize anyone because he does not work in politics.
"I'm not doing politics, I'm doing dresses," Pierre said. "We are not suddenly brokering a big deal between China and Russia. If people don't want to dress her, I think it's sad, but I was honored. I don't criticize these people–it's their choice, and that's the beauty of democracy."
He said that Trump was a "fantasy" to work with because she knew what she wanted and was very knowledgeable about fabrics due to her history with the fashion industry as a model.
"She knows fashion—she was a model and has worked in a design studio—so she knows about construction," Pierre said. "When I brought her fabric swatches, she immediately picked the heaviest, most beautiful six-ply silk from Italy. She knows about fabrics. It was a very organic conversation because we have the same vocabulary."
Pierre also noted that when it got out he was the one who created Trump's dress, he was flooded with offers from all kinds of people.
"Immediately my phone went completely ballistic with interview requests," he said. "I had investors and bankers in Dubai calling, people opened fake Instagram accounts under my name. Even Target called to say, 'We are so excited you are doing a line for us.' I'm like, 'Well I had no idea I was doing one.'"