R.I.P.

Isabel Toledo, Designer of Michelle Obama’s Inaugural Outfit, Dies at 59

The Cuban-American designer died of breast cancer.

Fashion designer Isabel Toledo, who designed Michelle Obama’s outfit for the 2009 inaugural parade, died on Monday at the age of 59. The New York Times reports that Toledo died in a Manhattan hospital from breast cancer. Toledo was an acclaimed Cuban-American designer who gained recognition for her focus on the construction of garments. Beyond designing for the former first lady, Toledo received the Cooper Hewitt Museum’s National Design Award in 2005 and served as creative director for Anne Klein from 2006 to 2007. She also collaborated with plus-size-focused brand Lane Bryant. She is survived by her husband, artist Ruben Toledo, and her two sisters.