November 12, 2008 | 5:00 pm

Designers Dream Big for the Obamas’ Inauguration Formal Wear

Courtesy Marc Bouwer

Signing on to dress the first lady for the Inauguration Ball is always a big deal, but this year, “it’s every designer’s dream to dress Michelle Obama,” says New York designer Marc Bouwer. PEOPLE asked Bouwer and designers Reem Acra and Isabel Toledo to come up with sketches of how they’d dress the First-Family-elect, given the honor. Bouwer, whose design appears above, took special inspiration from Michelle, who “has a much more modern approach to dressing,” he says. “She’s probably the most body-conscious dresser out of any First Lady we’ve had, and her clothes have a more modern silhouette.” Plus, as the United States’ first African-American first lady, “She’s the first of her kind,” adds Bouwer. “The designer who gets this will snag a major part of history. This will be remembered now and for forever.” Click through to check out Inauguration Ball sketches by red carpet favorites Isabel Toledo and Reem Acra. Then tell us: Which designer do you think has the winning look? –Charlotte Triggs

Courtesy Reem Acra

Reem Acra’s sketch

Courtesy Isabel Toledo

Isabel Toledo’s sketch

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EChizzle

The Marc Bouwer all the way.

JemL

Definately the Reem Acra one, its the most wearable

Joy

The last designer seems to forget that the family is not white. And I don’t think it’s fancy enough.

I would have to go with the first one.
I think Michele should be dressed to the ‘nines’.

jeuz

Look like classy ya..

vonica

LOVE! THE FIRST ONE RED WHITE N BLUE

bre

I think that the first hands down is the right choice. The outfits are classy, simple and gorgous. The colours I think work beautifully with their skin tone, the blue’s, red and white will make them stand out in their own way. The other two designs are way to catwalk and not practical for a first lady and her family. Espeically the colours and the designs, they are too stuffy and the colour would wash them out.

Courtney

Beautiful!!

THANKS SO MUCH PEOPLE for your Obama cover story this week AND the article about “The Real Life Changeling”. I saw the movie and became very curious about te real life side. Thank YOU!

Love some Jolie & Obama haha

Jennifer

Just wondering why they are portrayed as a white family in the last sketch…

jane

I like the first one!

pamela

She looks awful in dresses…any dress

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Edited by Melissa Liebling-Goldberg

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