At a public event Tuesday night at the Obama Center in Chicago, former first lady Michelle Obama wore a custom skirt featuring a portrait of her late mother, Marian Robinson, who died in 2024 at age 86. The one-off piece was made by Acne Studios as a tribute to Robinson, and it was unveiled to the audience at the new presidential center.
Michelle Obama said her husband, former president Barack Obama, did not know about the design until moments before she went on stage. The sepia-toned skirt was based on one of Obama’s favorite portraits of her mother. Veteran stylist Meredith Koop helped develop the look, which drew on a silhouette from the brand’s fall-winter 2026 collection. Obama paired the skirt with a brown T-shirt and a thin belt, matching the original styling of the piece.
The reveal visibly moved the Obamas. Barack Obama reacted by saying, “I’m a little shaken by this because I loved my mother-in-law very much.” He added that Marian Robinson was a pillar for their family and stressed her role in the home she built with love and perspective.
Michelle Obama has long used clothing to communicate messages or mark important moments, from designer choices early in her White House years to appearances at state events and book tours. The tribute also fits a broader effort by the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago to honor Robinson’s memory. Earlier this year, the center announced that its exhibit “Opening the White House” would be renamed in her honor, recognizing her central role in the family’s life during and after the White House years.
