After designers faced backlash for dressing the Trump family for the inauguration, Audrey Hepburn's son speaks out about the Givenchy dress worn by Ivanka and inspired by the late Hollywood star.
While many on social media have taken issue with Ivanka Trump wearing a gown inspired by Audrey Hepburn to the inaugural ball this week, the late actress' family doesn't seem bothered.
The daughter of Donald Trump and the late Ivana Trump attended the Liberty Ball last night with her entire family, including husband Jared Kushner -- and did so wearing a white Givenchy recreation of a dress Hepburn wore in the 1954 film Sabrina.
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"It is no wonder that growing up in a family which knew our mother as a household name she chose to draw inspiration from her, to seek the ultimate elegance and class reference, for an occasion such as this one," Hepburn's eldest son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, said in a statement to Daily Mail.
He also pointed out that the inauguration was the 32nd anniversary of his mother's death, as well as Martin Luther King Jr. Day -- adding, "What a cocktail!"
He went on to address how his late mother's "legacy has grown to become transgenerational and transnational" in the years since her death.
"Her elegance, which has its roots in her inner beauty and spirit, is often a reference point, an anchor, for many celebrities, actresses and models in these times in which we appear to have somewhat lost our way," he concluded.
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A White House rep, in a statement to Daily Mail, said Ivanka was "incredibly grateful for Arnault family and the Givenchy atelier for creating this masterpiece, capturing the original artistry and elegance with remarkable precision and craftsmanship."
The Arnault family owns LVMH, whose massive portfolio includes the Givernchy design house.
"Audrey Hepburn has long been a personal inspiration to Ivanka," the statement continued, saying, "She views it as a great privilege to honor her legacy in this way, and is incredibly grateful to the team at Givenchy for bringing this moment to life."
In their take on Ivanka's look, however, Vogue was puzzled by the choice.
"Given politicians often embed their outfits with powerful or meaningful choices -- see Dr. Jill Biden's patriotic wardrobe in shades of red, white, and blue -- Trump's wardrobe appears to be built on artifice and aesthetics instead," they wrote.
"It may be an intentional choice: Perhaps Trump prefers to keep her wardrobe surface-level," the criticism continued. "But her nod to upbeat Hollywood glamour, on a stage that holds so much weight for Americans, felt misguided."
