The mystery is solved: discover which dress Melania Trump wore to the inaugural ball (photos, videos).

The 54-year-old new First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, kept everyone guessing for a long time regarding her dress choice for the inaugural ball, which this time took place at the Washington Convention Center. Finally, the world got to see her much-anticipated outfit. The dress was designed by her longtime stylist Hervé Pierre, who also created her ball gown in 2017, reports WWD.

This time, Melania wore a long, flowing white dress with a thigh-high slit and black detailing that wrapped around the bodice. The strapless gown showcased her figure and highlighted her long legs. Its design aims to reflect Pierre's concept—a ribbon encircling a bouquet of flowers, as indicated in his initial sketch of the dress. To create Trump’s second inaugural gown, Pierre consulted with a Chinese-born seamstress at a New York atelier. In his view, "fashion is for the eyes, and it's up to others to come up with their interpretation."

Melania completed her look with a black choker featuring a diamond brooch from 1955 by Harry Winston and white stiletto heels. She left her long hair down, complemented by evening makeup.

"It is a great honor for me to collaborate with the First Lady on designing her inaugural dress. It was clear that Mrs. Trump has a penchant for the combination of black and white—reflecting her own style and vision," said the designer.

By creating Melania Trump’s inaugural gowns, Hervé Pierre joined the ranks of several other designers who have done the same. Jason Wu dressed Michelle Obama in 2011 and 2015, James Galanos designed clothing for Nancy Reagan in 1985 and 1989, while Netty Rosenstein did so for Mamie Eisenhower in 1953 and 1957.

Pierre hopes that fashion critics will appreciate this outfit.

"I hope people will like it, but I never know. I must say the first was successful. I hardly heard any negative comments about the first one," he stated. The first dress he crafted for Melania in 2017 is now housed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. It is a vanilla silk crepe gown with off-the-shoulder sleeves, a skirt with a slit, ruffles from the neck to the hem, and a burgundy ribbon around the waist.

When Hervé Pierre first met Melania through her former advisor Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, he was struggling to find work despite his long tenure at Carolina Herrera and experience with Oscar de la Renta, Balmain, Lanvin, and other luxury European houses. After discussing the collaboration with Mrs. Trump on creating a dress for the inaugural ball, the pair found common ground, and he agreed to continue working as her stylist for her first four years in the White House. This collaboration continues to this day.

Unlike some major designers whose teams compete for the chance to dress the First Lady to capitalize on global fame and potential sales, Pierre stated that he is not interested in that, and working with Melania is "purely personal" for him.

Atelier Caito for Hervé Pierre, a business in the Garment District that he started during Trump's first administration, closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his business partner Nicolas Caito later returned to Paris to work in a luxury house. Pierre has shifted his focus to interior design and lampshade decor for affluent private clients while continuing to consult.