AMERICAN-MADE: Phillip Lim was still living the dream, an undeniably American one, Sunday afternoon after not one, but two visits to the White House Sept. 25.
If attending both the welcoming ceremony and state dinner for China’s president Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan wasn’t enough of a double shot of adrenaline, the designer had the unexpected bonus of First Lady Michelle Obama wearing a floral dress and coat that he designed to the first event. Enthralled by the 21-gun salute, the President of the United States’ arrival, and then the president of China, Lim said he was floored when Mrs. Obama walked out wearing one of his designs. “I had to do everything in my ability to hold it in. I wanted to scream,” said Lim, who was asked to work on an ensemble two weeks before his September runway show. It was an honor that he said his parents, who came to the U.S. as immigrants, “never in a gazillion, trillion years” could have imagined their sacrifices would ever lead to.
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Watching the historic ceremony, Lim said he was reminded of the day he received his U.S. citizenship at the age of 18. “I was so proud at that moment — fast-forward to this moment and this is like, ‘Wow, I am a citizen here,'” he said. “It was so monumental for me because I am Chinese and a first-generation American. I also recalled how the president of China said in his speech, ‘This is going to be an ending and a new beginning between the relationship of America and China.’ And I thought, ‘Yes, that’s right. There are going to be more global citizens.'”
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The New York-based designer got another jolt at Friday night’s state dinner before Ne-Yo performed. After chatting with such tablemates as Misty Copeland and Stephen Schwarzman (who made no mention of his morning at an East Harlem school with Pope Francis), Lim was tapped on the shoulder by FLOTUS’ social secretary because the First Lady wanted to see him.”I was like, ‘Oh my God, what?’ They pulled me into a room alone. I was like, ‘OK, no one else is here. I’m in trouble, uh-oh,'” Lim said. “Then they come in — Barack, Michelle, Xi Jinping and his wife. Michelle said, ‘I just wanted to make sure I found you tonight to say, ‘Thank you.’ and ‘Did you like it?'”
“How amazing is that?” Lim said. “It was only me and them in the room. How do you respond to that? I just gave her a hug and she gave me a hug and said, ‘Thank you babe.'” Lim said. “I mean, this lady rules the world. You don’t even expect a single word because of all the formalities. For her to take a minute out…I mean, there were 100 people there — Henry Kissinger, Madeleine Albright, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook…and I got tapped on the shoulder.”