Melania Trump's Hat Designer Reacts to 2025 Inauguration Buzz

After First Lady Melania Trump sparked internet memes with the hat she wore to her husband Donald Trump’s Presidential Inauguration, the designer behind the piece shared a look at how it was made.

By Will Reid Jan 21, 2025 2:08 AMTags
Watch: Inauguration 2025: What Donald Trump Had to Say About Melania Trump’s Inauguration Hat

The man behind Melania Trump’s head-turning hat is sharing how it came to be.

After the First Lady’s custom wide-brimmed boater hat sparked a flurry of memes online during her appearance alongside husband Donald Trump at his Presidential Inauguration, the hat’s designer Eric Javits shared what it meant to him to play a role in dressing the new FLOTUS.

“It was my great honor and privilege to create the hat our First Lady, Melania Trump wore for the inaugural swearing in of our 47th President,” he wrote in a post on Instagram Jan. 20. “She has the inner grace, beauty and presence to transform what was really a very simple, restrained hat style into what became a ‘wow’ moment. The First Lady’s hat was made with love.”

Additionally, he offered a look at the creation of the viral headwear.

In a behind-the-scenes video posted on Instagram Stories Jan. 20, Javits documented the hat-making process as he snipped the navy blue fabric used for the accessory. He followed that up with a clip of the fabric being wrapped around a hat stand while being held together with yellow sewing pins.

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The fashion designer also reposted a number of reactions to his creation on Instagram Stories, including one dubbing Melania’s outfit “chic in the sleet.” Meanwhile, another repost read, “I love a good hood.”

Amid the proceedings in Washington, D.C., Javits shared that Melania’s viral head-topper almost wasn’t part of her ensemble after a mishap while it was being shipped from Miami to New York.

GREG NASH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

“I guess the hat arrived all crushed,” he explained to Women’s Wear Daily in an interview published Jan. 20. “It looked like it had been sitting in snow drifts for about a week. Obviously, I had to scramble to redo it. It couldn’t really be repaired, because of the construction of it.”

Instead, Javits said he made another hat and delivered it to Melania’s stylist Hervé Pierre, who “took it back to her by hand to minimize any other disasters that could possibly happen.”

And when the First Lady arrived in the capital, her hat quickly grabbed the internet’s attention—and her husband’s.

“We went out to the helicopter just prior to this and said goodbye,” Trump recalled during his speech after being sworn in as president. “The wind is blowing like crazy, and with the hat that she’s wearing, she almost blew away.”

He continued, “We almost lost her. She was being elevated off the ground. She almost blew away.”

Keep reading for more notable attendees at the 2025 Presidential Inauguration.

Barron Trump, Melania Trump & Donald Trump

Take them to church: Barron Trump joined mom Melania Trump (in a coat by American designer Adam Lippes) and his father, president Donald Trump for services at Washington, D.C.'s St. John's Church as part of the 2025 Inauguration Day festivities Jan. 20.

Ivanka Trump

Incoming first daughter Ivanka Trump also put on her Monday best for the church services. 

Jill Biden, Joe Biden, Donald Trump & Melania Trump

"Welcome home," President Joe Biden said as he and First Lady Jill Biden greeted the Trumps at the White House. 

Usha Vance, Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris & JD Vance

Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff were also on hand to welcome VP JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance at the White House.  

Michael Boulous & Tiffany Trump

Pregnant Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos joined her father at the St. John's Church services. 

Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner

Former advisor Ivanka was joined at the services by husband Jared Kushner and their kids Arabella, Joseph and Theodore

Elon Musk

Trump pal Elon Musk took in the view as he arrived inside the Capitol Rotunda.

Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar & Donald Trump

Before delivering her speech, Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar led Biden and Trump out of the White House. "While we have major differences of opinions on policy and the like," she said of chairing the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, "I want to make sure this works,” Klobuchar said of the ceremony."

Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush & Laura Bush

Among the former presidents and first ladies on hand: Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush and Laura Bush

George W. Bush, Laura Bush & Barack Obama

With wife Michelle Obama not attending, former president Barack Obama hung with the Bushes. 

Mike Pence

Trump's former vice president Mike Pence turned up solo for the ceremony. 

Eric Adams

New York City mayor Eric Adams worked the room at the Capitol. 

Janet Jones & Wayne Gretzky

Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and his wife Janet Jones were among those who decided to take a shot at watching the inauguration. 

Rupert Murdoch & Elena Zhukova

Former Fox Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch (joined by wife Elena Zhukova) was among the billionaire businesspeople in attendance. 

Sundar Pichai & Elon Musk

Tech talk: Tesla CEO Musk socialized with Google CEO Sundar Pichai.  

Robert F. Kennedy

Trump's pick for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy came to watch him get sworn in. 

Mitch McConnell & Elaine Chao

Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell held tight to wife Elaine Chao.

Jake Paul & Logan Paul

Influencer turned boxer Jake Paul was on hand with his brother, wrestler Logan Paul

Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai & Elon Musk 

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg joined Amazon exec Jeff Bezos, his fiancée Lauren Sanchez, Pichai and Musk on the dias at the Capitol. 

Eric Trump, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr. 

Trump's kids with first wife Ivana Trump—Ivanka, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump—gathered with Ivanka's husband Kushner. 

Barron Trump

Trump's youngest child—New York University student Barron—traveled to Washington, D.C. to watch him take the oath of office for the second time. 

Christopher Macchio

Opera tenor Christopher Macchio was tapped to sing the National Anthem. "I was looking forward to seeing 100,000 people spread across the National Mall," he acknowledged to the Associated Press ahead of the events. "Unfortunately I won’t be getting that visual while I perform, but it’s still going to be such a tremendous honor."

Shou Zi Chew

Hours after TikTok went dark (and then restored service) in the United States, CEO Shou Zi Chew turned up at the inauguration. 

Tim Cook, Vivek Ramaswamy & Kristi Noem

Apple CEO Tim Cook posed alongside onetime presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and South Dakota governor Kristi Noem

Melania Trump & Donald Trump

He attempted to sneak a kiss under his wife's Eric Javits hat

JD Vance, Usha Vance & Donald Trump

Just before noon, Vance took the oath of office to become vice president while wife Usha and daughter Mirabel looked on. 

Rudy Giuliani

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani captured the festivities. 

Donald Trump

Minutes after Vance was sworn in, Trump took his oath of office for the second time. 

Bernie Sanders

What, no mittens? Vermont senator Bernie Sanders ditched the outerwear for the festitivites inside the Capitol. 

Carrie Underwood

After technical difficulties forced her to perform a capella, American Idol's season four winner Carrie Underwood blew the crowd away with her rendition of "America the Beautiful". 

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