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When choosing designers to wear, Michelle made a pointed decision to thrust those most deserving and otherwise obscure into the spotlight — as she did with the now-household name Jason Wu.

“For me, it was not just did I love what they designed, but it was also what kind of people were they, and how did we send a message of diversity and supporting American designers. The first report, no matter what I was doing, was what color are my shoes, which would never have happened to a man. We’re still doing that to women … No matter what we’re doing, we’re still checking out what are you wearing, and how’s that, and who designed it. And you can get frustrated with that, or you can flip it on its head. We used this platform to uplift some new, young designers who normally wouldn’t get this kind of attention, because you can change their lives.”