Barack Obama became visibly emotional at a stakeholder reception for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago after seeing a portrait of his late mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, printed on the skirt his wife was wearing.
Michelle Obama, 62, wore a custom Acne Studios pencil skirt bearing one of her favorite portraits of her mother to the event held on June 16 at Home Court. The sepia-toned design, styled with a chocolate brown T-shirt and slingback pumps, featured Robinson as a young woman and was a surprise her husband had not anticipated.
“I am so proud of my husband. He’s really messed up, I’m giving him some time, because this beautiful skirt that my stylist Meredith Koop picked out, that is a portrait—my favorite portrait of my mom—he didn’t know it existed until just a few minutes ago,” Michelle said during remarks at the reception, according to Page Six.
The custom piece was orchestrated by Meredith Koop, Michelle’s longtime stylist, who worked with the Swedish fashion house Acne Studios to create a bespoke version of a design from the label’s fall 2026 collection. The portrait itself appears to be one Michelle had shared publicly in 2019 while celebrating her mother’s birthday.
Michelle reflected on her mother’s bond with Barack, saying Marian “was so proud of her son-in-law, and the man that he is, and has been to our family, always dreaming, probably way too big, but always pulling it off.” She added: “I’ve had a few weeks to settle down in the beauty of this skirt, but it’s messing him up for good reason.”
Robinson died on May 31, 2024, at age 86. She had lived in the White House during both of Barack’s presidential terms and was widely beloved by staff and visitors. In the years since her death, Michelle has continued to honor her mother’s legacy, reflecting publicly on the lessons Robinson instilled in her children, including the importance of being present in life and preparing loved ones to succeed independently.
The emotional moment unfolded just two days before the Obama Presidential Center opens to the public on June 19 on Chicago’s South Side. The center, built to serve as a gathering place for learning and civic engagement, marks a homecoming for the Obamas to their native city. Later at the reception, Barack shared a video message calling his mother-in-law and her late husband Fraser Robinson “salt of the earth, bedrock people” and recalling how Marian “made a home for Michelle and Craig here on the South Side of Chicago, not with a lot, but with a lot of love and hope and perspective and wisdom.”
Sources
- Page Six — Michelle Obama’s custom Acne Studios skirt featuring Marian Robinson’s portrait and Barack Obama’s emotional reaction at the Obama Presidential Center stakeholder reception.
- People.com — Michelle Obama’s remarks about the skirt tribute, Marian Robinson’s death on May 31, 2024, at age 86, and Michelle’s reflections on her mother’s legacy.
- The Obama Foundation — Obama Presidential Center grand opening scheduled for June 19, 2026.
