Nov. 5 (UPI) — Former first lady Michelle Obama discussed fashion and representation while promoting her new book, The Look, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Obama, 61, appeared on the CBS late-night talk show Tuesday following the book’s release.
“I’m so proud of this book — it captures my belief that style is a language of its own, one that each of us can use to express our individuality and ignite confidence,” she previously wrote in an Instagram post promoting the work.
On The Late Show, Obama discussed how fashion became a strategic way to express herself beginning amid her husband and former President Barack Obama‘s campaign.
“I mean, the campaign was beautiful but, you know, I felt the politics of it fast. I learned a lot of lessons about what I had to look out for and how quickly people were willing to take my story and distort it, so I knew very quickly that I had to control every aspect of how I showed up in the world,” she told Colbert. “It was a race to let the country learn me from me…”
Colbert also referenced Michelle Obama’s Vogue covers.
“What I understood was that the opportunity for a Black woman to be on the cover of a style and fashion magazine that was not a model or an actress was a rare thing, and messaging was everything, you know? And when was the last time there’s been somebody on there that isn’t a model or an actress?” Obama said.
“I know that growing up, who I saw on the covers of magazines, who I saw on TV as a young girl, really mattered to my self-esteem. So I wanted to take advantage of the fact that as the first lady, yes, you can be smart and educated and beautiful, and sexy and interesting and all those things. And yes, you can be a Black woman, a tall 5’11” Black woman.”
Her Instagram post promoting the book also discusses how style can “lift up others as well.”
