Michelle Obama's election night red and black dress

The biggest fashion question of the morning-after has been answered: Michelle Obama, who has emerged as a style icon while stumping for her husband on the campaign trail within the past year, stepped out in a Narciso Rodriguez dress to watch Barack Obama take the stage as the president-elect of America.



Mrs. Obama’s appearance in Mr. Rodriguez’s dress will likely give a boost to the designer, who last month terminated his 18-month partnership with Liz Claiborne Inc. over a strategic disagreement. (The designer, who first rose to fame in 1996 after designing Carolyn Bessette’s wedding dress, now owns 100% of his label, which incurred a loss of about $15 million on revenue of about $4 million last year.)