AND HOW SHE’S USING THE POWER OF
FASHION TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSIVITY.
>> I’VE NEVER BEEN THAT KID OR
YOUNG ADULT OR WOMAN THAT GOES,
OKAY, STEP A GOES TO B GOES TO C
GOES TO D.
I’M MORE LIKE, I’M GOING TO Z,
THEN I’M BACK TO A.
I’M GRATEFUL FOR IT.
IT’S GOTTEN ME TO TODAY.
>> Reporter: MEREDITH KOOP’S
CAREER WAS NOT PLANNED, BUT IT’S
INTERTWINED WITH MICHELLE OBAMA.
AS HER STYLIST FOR MORE THAN A
DECADE, MEREDITH’S WORK
CONTINUES TO BE SEEN FRONT AND
CENTER.
AS RECENTLY AS THE DAY OF THE
BIDEN PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION.
WHEN SHE STEPPED ON THE SCENE,
THE INTERNET EXPLODED.
>> HUDSON MADE THE LOOK, HEAD TO
TOE.
I KNEW SHE LOOKED GREAT.
I NEVER GO INTO SITUATIONS GOES,
EVERYONE IS GOING TO LOVE IT.
THAT’S NOT ME.
I WAS EXCITED SHE WORE PANTS.
IT WAS A GREAT MOMENT.
>> Reporter: IT WAS BY CHANCE
THAT MEREDITH FOUND HERE’S AT
THIS UNIQUE INTERSECTION OF
FASHION AND POLITICS.
WHAT DID YOU ASPIRE TO BE BACK
IN THE DAY?
>> I THINK I WAS DREAMING A LOT
OF DREAMS, BUT I DIDN’T HAVE
MUCH DIRECTION.
I LOVE TO DANCE.
I LOVE THE WAY IT MADE ME FEEL.
IT WAS MY OUTLET PHYSICALLY BUT
ALSO EMOTIONALLY.
AROUND THE TIME I HIT PUBERTY, I
PROBABLY WAS STRUGGLING WITH
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, DEPRESSION
AND ANXIETY.
I’M VERY LUCKY THAT I’VE HAD,
FRANKLY, A LOT OF RESOURCES TO
GET THE HELP THAT I NEED.
>> Reporter: AFTER COLLEGE, THE
MISSOURI NATIVE MOVED TO
CHICAGO, THEN LANDED A JOB AT A
CLOTHING BOUTIQUE WHERE SHE MET
MICHELLE OBAMA.
>> I ENDED UP GOING TO D.C. TO
SORT OF BE THE LEANNEE LEE -- LI
HER WARDROBE.
THEN I WAS HER STYLIST IN 2010.
I’M LUCKY TO HAVE THE PATH I
HAD.
I FELL INTO SOMETHING WHERE,
LITERAL
LITERALLY, I WAS ABLE TO TELL
STORIES AND BUILD MEANING WITH
THIS MEDIUM, WITH FASHION.
>> Reporter: IN HER CAREER,
MEREDITH SHOWCASED HUNDREDS OF
DESIGNERS, PROMOTING THE
IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSIVITY AND
REPRESENTATION
REPRESENTATION.
>> I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO
BRING HER THIS DIVERSE ROSTER.
THIS IS OUR FIRST BLACK
PRESIDENT, FIRST BLACK FIRST
LADY.
THERE WAS A LEVEL OF
UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS JUST
PART OF THE THREAD.
IT ONLY MADE SENSE THAT THAT
WOULD BE REFLECTED IN WHAT SHE
WORE.
>> Reporter: TALK TO ME ABOUT
MRS. OBAMA’S DNC LOOK FOR 2012.
>> SHE WORE A TRACEY REEVES
DRESS.
IT WAS A BIT OF A MIXED PATTERN.
SHE WAS VERY MUCH HERSELF AND
VERY MUCH REFLECTING HER OWN
VERSION OF FEMININEITYFEMININITY
THE BLACK LOOK AT THE ESPY’S WAS
ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
IT WAS POST WHITE HOUSE, AND IT
FELT A LITTLE BIT MORE EDGY, A
LITTLE BIT MORE SEXY.
THERE’S BEEN SO MANY OUTFITS
WHERE SHE’S BEEN SLEEVELESS, SO
I STARTED GETTING INTO SLEEVES.
>> Reporter: SHAKE IT UP A
LITTLE BIT.
>> SHAKE IT UP.
>> Reporter: FAST FORWARD TO THE
"BECOMING" BOOK TOUR, WHICH SHE
SAID PRESENTED A NEW CHAPTER.
>> THERE WAS DEFINITELY MORE
ROOM TO PLAY.
>> Reporter: TELL ME ABOUT THE
BOOTS.
>> MAN, THOSE BOOTS WERE
SOMETHING ELSE.
THE SEQUENCE BOOTS.
>> Reporter: DID YOU HAVE A
FAVORITE FROM THE TOUR?
>> I LOVE SO MUCH OF THE SUITING
SHE WORE.
THE JOY ROGERS BRINGS TO
FASHION, IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND
IMPORTANT.
>> I, KAMALA HARRIS, SOLEMNLY
SWEAR.
>> Reporter: WHEN KAMALA HARRIS
MADE HISTORY, SHE, TOO, MADE A
STATEMENT WEARING ROGERS,
SHOWING WOMEN IN POLITICS, USING
FASHION TO INFLUENCE CULTURAL
CHANGE, WORKS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I LEARNED THANKS
TO A LOT OF YOUR WORK?
THERE’S POWER IN FASHION.
THIS IS POWER IN BEING ABLE TO
EXPRESS OFTEN WHO YOU ARE
THROUGH WHAT YOU’RE WEARING.
>> I’M ALL ABOUT, LIKE, WOMEN
HAVING MORE FREEDOM AND BEING
ABLE TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO
DO.
>> Reporter: HOW WOULD YOU WANT
THE HISTORY BOOKS TO LOOK BACK
ON THOSE YEARS, ON YOUR
CONTRIBUTION?
>> LOOK, I KNOW FASHION IS NOT
ROCKET SCIENCE.
I KNOW FASHION IS NOT PEACE
TEATRYTEAT
RY
TREATIES.
FASHION AFFECTS A LOT OF PEOPLE
AND CAN INSPIRE.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE THE WARDROBE
AND THE FASHIONS FROM THAT TIME
JUST TO BE RESPECTED.
>> IT CERTAINLY IS.
AS FOR WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE
STYLIST, SHE’S INTERESTED IN
PERHAPS DEVELOPING IDEAS FOR
BOOKS OR STREAMING SHOWS.
SHE WANTS TO GO BEYOND FASHION,
PERHAPS USING HER PERSONAL
STRUGGLES WHILE GROWING UP TO
HELP OTHERS.
I WAS TELLING YOU EARLIER THIS
MORNING, I REALLY LIKE HER, TOO.
SHE DIDN’T GO TO STYLING SCHOOL
OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAVE YOU.
SHE WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE, AND
SHE HAD THE WORK ETHIC.
>> GRIT.
>> AN EYE.
SHE WORKS REALLY HARD.
IT PAID OFF.
>> YEAH.
THE CLOTHES SOMEHOW DO TELL A