Is Jason Wu worth it as a designer to buy into?+
Jason Wu offers polished, occasion-ready American design with a real fashion pedigree. He trained under Narciso Rodriguez before launching his own line, debuting his ready-to-wear collection in 2006, and won the Fashion Group International's Rising Star award in 2008. If you want refined eveningwear and dresses from a designer with that grounding, his label delivers.
What is the story behind the Jason Wu Michelle Obama inauguration gown?+
It is the moment that made his name. For the inaugural balls on the night of Barack Obama's first inauguration, Michelle Obama wore a custom Jason Wu one-shoulder, floor-length white chiffon gown. The press came to consider her his career-launcher, and she returned to him for the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Balls in a ruby red velvet and chiffon design.
Who is Jason Wu?+
Jason Wu is a Canadian artist and fashion designer based in New York City, born in Yunlin, Taiwan in 1982 and raised in Vancouver. He studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design and trained under Narciso Rodriguez before launching his own line. He is best known for designing dresses worn by Michelle Obama, including those at both Obama inaugurations.
How did Jason Wu get his start in fashion?+
Unusually, it began with dolls. Wu learned to sew by designing and sewing for dolls, and at sixteen he was creating freelance doll-clothing designs for Integrity Toys under the Jason Wu dolls line, becoming the company's creative director the following year. He funded his ready-to-wear line with earnings from those years of doll design before his 2006 debut.
What is the difference between Jason Wu's main line and Miss Wu?+
Miss Wu was his diffusion line, designed with a younger customer in mind and sold at a lower price point. He launched it in 2013 in tandem with Nordstrom; notably, Michelle Obama wore a Miss Wu green shift in 2012 while campaigning, before it even reached shelves. He later relaunched the line as Grey in 2016, partnering with Pantone on a custom grey hue.
Did Jason Wu design for any major fashion house?+
Yes. From 2013 to 2018, Wu served as art director of the German fashion house Hugo Boss, overseeing the entire womenswear range. That role ran alongside his own label and underlines that his work reaches well beyond the eveningwear he is most famous for.
Does Jason Wu make handbags and beauty products?+
He does, and the range has grown over time. In 2020 he launched Jason Wu Beauty, an affordable line of clean makeup and skincare. By 2024 the brand signed a licensing and distribution deal with Concept One Accessories for an aspirational collection of handbags and small leather goods, having previously handled its bag production in-house.
Where is Jason Wu from?+
He was born in Yunlin, Taiwan in 1982 and emigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia at age nine. He went on to study at Parsons School of Design in New York City, where he is now based. So while he is a Canadian designer working out of New York, his roots run from Taiwan through Vancouver.
Has Jason Wu designed menswear?+
Yes, though it came later in his career. He designed his first menswear for the Chinese actor Gong Jun to wear at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in May 2023, a white suit with sophisticated embroideries and a frog fastening. It marked a notable expansion beyond the womenswear and gowns he is best known for.
Why is Jason Wu so closely associated with Michelle Obama?+
Their relationship defined a chapter of his career. Introduced to Wu by Vogue's André Leon Talley, Michelle Obama bought several of his dresses early on, wore one for a Barbara Walters special before the 2008 election, and then chose his white chiffon gown for the first inaugural balls. She returned to him again and again, including the 2013 Inaugural Balls, cementing the association.
