Ivanka Trump faced some backlash for her dress choice at the 2025 Liberty Inaugural Ball in Washington on Monday.
If you haven’t been paying attention, you might have missed that Ivanka’s father, the ever-colorful and often controversial Donald Trump, was officially inaugurated as president earlier this week. This event marked the start of Trump’s second term, having previously served from 2017 to 2021.
As expected, nearly every detail of Trump’s significant day was closely examined by social media users around the globe. In the aftermath of the inauguration, discussions have ranged from Elon Musk’s alleged “Nazi salute” to Melania Trump’s hat selection, and even attempts by lip-readers to interpret what Barron Trump might have said to Joe Biden.
In short, nothing seemed to escape scrutiny on inauguration day, and it appears that even a seemingly innocuous dress can spark intense debate online.
The dress in question was worn by Ivanka Trump, who acted as an advisor to her father during his first term.
At this point, we’d like to express our belief that no one should be criticized for their clothing choices (within reason, of course).
However, the internet has a knack for generating comments that often overlook morality and decency. In essence, people will always have opinions about celebrities’ hairstyles, fashion choices, behaviors, and more.
Ivanka Trump sparked some controversy among online users with her dress choice for the Liberty Ball on Inauguration Day. She drew inspiration from one of the most iconic female figures of the past century, wearing a reimagined version of the gown that Audrey Hepburn wore in the 1954 classic film Sabrina.
This dress, originally designed by Hubert de Givenchy, is instantly recognizable and certainly stands out. Reports indicate that Ivanka’s rendition features a white fabric adorned with black floral embroidery and a short train, crafted by the renowned French fashion house Givenchy.
To complete her look, Ivanka accessorized with elbow-length black opera gloves, stiletto heels, a diamond choker, and styled her hair in a chignon, closely resembling Hepburn’s original ensemble.
Even though Ivanka looked stunning in the dress, it seems that criticism was inevitable, as is often the case these days.
One particularly vocal internet user remarked, “The more I examine the details, the more ridiculous this seems.”
Another commenter chimed in, saying, “The texture and embroidery on Ivanka’s version appear cartoonish and lack the elegance of the original. Hepburn is simply unmatched.”
A third user took issue with the comparison to Hepburn, stating, “Audrey Hepburn would be appalled. She didn’t survive World War II and fought against everything the Trump family stands for just for her dress to be treated like this. It’s utterly disgraceful.”
It appears that Ivanka Trump is wearing Givenchy tonight. This is a recreation of the iconic 1954 Haute Couture black and white gown that was originally designed for Audrey Hepburn, for the movie Sabrina pic.twitter.com/lUPONCkKCk
— Remoulade Sauce (@Remisagoodboy) January 21, 2025
Some people expressed strong opinions, with one stating, “Audrey would have disliked Ivanka and her family.” This perspective only represents one side of the debate, as many others praised Ivanka’s beauty and her choice to wear the dress that evening.
On the other hand, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Hepburn’s son, remarked that it was understandable for Ivanka to honor his late mother, given their family’s history.
He shared with DailyMail, “It makes sense that growing up in a family that regarded our mother as a household name, she would look to her for inspiration, especially for an event as significant as this—the inauguration, the 32nd anniversary of our mother’s passing, and Martin Luther King’s day. What a wonderful combination!”
Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, have made it clear they will not be returning to their roles in the White House for Donald’s second term.
What are your thoughts on Ivanka’s dress? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!
