COLUMBIA, S.C. — If you watched the 2021 Presidential Inauguration you likely saw former First Lady Michelle Obama in an outfit that set social media buzzing. It turns out, the designer behind the look is South Carolina native Sergio Hudson.
Hudson has been designing for years and his list of celebrities wearing his clothing continues to grow. Hudson is originally from Fairfield County but now lives in Los Angeles, and is now considered one of the most sought after designers in the country. His clothes are considered a luxury women's ready-to-wear label designed and produced entirely in Los Angeles and New York.
Hudson said Obama's stylist is friends with him, and had reached out to him because she liked a look from his most recent fall collection. That version was a sweater dress instead of a sweater and pants, but was generally similar. She then asked if that could be adapted for Obama.
"And we dropped the coat to the floor and that's how the look came about," Hudson said. "It was that simple."
It wasn't the first time he's designed for the former first lady.
"We just have a good synergy, me and her stylist," he said. "I think Michelle likes the way the clothes fit and it just kind of works."
He said Michelle and her stylist know what they like, and won't reach out to someone unless they like what you do.
"She likes what I do, it's kind of easy," he admits. "She's probably the easiest high-profile person I've ever worked with."
That list of high-profile clients includes familiar names like Vice President Kamala Harris, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah, Tracee Ellis Ross, the Kardashians, Taraji P. Henson and a host of others. It's not uncommon to find his fashions on the biggest stages and red carpets in Hollywood.
Hudson's designs are a part of an ever growing luxury line, however he does make statement pieces that he says can fit into almost any budget. Hudson has expanded his design line to include pajamas and even home decor.
Hudson says his greatest design inspiration is his mother. He adoringly describes her as a woman who "at 60 years old still wears the highest heels he's seen."
Hudson says his vision is "to bring back the joy of dressing."
You can see Hudson's latest collection and learn more about the designer by going to his website https://sergiohudson.com/