Meryl Streep comments on Melania Trump’s fashion in context of women in power

During a recent discussion with former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, moderated by filmmaker Greta Gerwig, Meryl Streep reflected on the political and social implications of fashion for women, specifically highlighting former First Lady Melania Trump’s wardrobe choices. Streep criticised Trump’s 2018 jacket emblazoned with the phrase “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” which she wore while visiting a centre for migrant children. The jacket sparked widespread controversy, with critics deeming it insensitive given the context of the Trump administration’s immigration policies that separated children from their families. While Trump defended the coat in interviews and in her 2024 memoir, claiming it was intended as a message to the media rather than the children, Streep used the moment to illustrate the broader pressures and expectations placed on women in positions of power. She noted the disparities in professional dress codes for men and women, emphasising how women often have to show vulnerability or ‘smallness’ in public appearances. The conversation occurred ahead of the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2, in which Streep reprises her role as Miranda Priestly, a character inspired by Wintour, reinforcing the interplay between fashion, authority, and societal perception.