From Michelle to Melania: Fashion leads at US inauguration

Here are few of our favourite icons who donned fashionable outfits

American leaders and showbiz personalities were under spotlight on Wednesday at the much-talked-about Joe Biden and Kamala Harris inauguration. Suffice it to say that sometimes, what celebrities wear says more about them than even the speeches they deliver.

DC-based fashion consultant Lauren Rothman told BBC that Americans have always taken an interest in what political leaders don for inaugural celebrations. In line with that, fashion was on point at the ceremony, with Harris taking the lead in an ever-so-vibrant purple dress with a matching trench coat. Michelle Obama, First Lady Jill Biden, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna and last but not the least Melania Trump, who waved away as First Lady for the last time, also brought some serious Haute Couture to the event. Here are few of our favourite looks:

· Vice President Kamala Harris

Harris' purple ensemble had already made an impression within few hours of her swearing-in. Some fashion critics had to say purple stands for the merge of two colours, red and blue - colours that represent Republicans and Democrats.

But that's not the only reason the colour holds a special place for women in American politics. The suffragettes often wore purple hues in the 1900s while campaigning for women's right to vote. Harris wore a Christopher John Rogers number and paired it with a classic pearl necklace – a nod to a tradition at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the oldest all-black sorority in the US.

· Michelle Obama

Now, how can we be talking about politics and fashion and now mentioned this former first lady? Obama donned boysenberry purple hues by American designer Sergio Hudson. She carried a berry tone sweater with matching palazzo pants alongside a matching trench coat and complimented the attire with a matching patent leather belt across her waist and Hollywood curls. Classy as ever!

· Melania Trump

Mrs Donald Trump has always had a clear sense of style, often spotted in sleek looks from well-known brands like Chanel, Hermes and Dolce & Gabbana. She departed the White House one last time in all black - a rather Audrey Hepburn-esque look but with a ‘chic mourning’ touch to it, as the fashion critics said. The former model sported a SS21 Chanel jacket with a Dolce & Gabbana dress complimented by a custom Hermes crocodile skin bag and custom Louboutins.