Here are some new photos of Karl Lagerfeld looking like an ancient grandpa trolling for strange in downtown Miami. What he’s really doing is being driven around with his “muse” Baptiste Giabiconi in Paris. Interesting…

Anyway, in the July issue of Vogue (the one with Marion on the cover), there’s a big article about the Met Gala, which was back in May. It’s hilarious and interesting, mainly for the Lady Gaga and Oprah parts, of which there are too many to even go into. You should buy the mag just for the whole article, just take my word for it. Within the piece, Vogue asks various designers and models and actresses what they think of Oprah (who was the co-chair of the event) and Gaga (who was the headlining performer at the event). When they got around to asking The Kaiser himself, Karl Lagerfeld, his comments were very interesting:

Karl Lagerfeld walks past.

“Oprah and Mrs. Obama are really the American women,” he says. “At least that is the way Europe sees it.”

And where does Lady Gaga fit in?

“I like the idea that they are so different. I hate average. And they are certainly not average.”

[From Vogue, July issue, print]

You know what this means, right? We have to throw another piece onto Karl Lagerfeld’s ongoing List of Hate. I can’t even keep up with all of the additions from month to month. He hates children, potato chips, fat mothers, the sun, and so, so, so much more. And now he hates “average”. But he seems to have a strange kind of affection for Oprah. What would you pay to see Lagerfeld interviewed by Oprah? I mean, I can’t even. That would be too golden.

Header: Karl Lagerfeld on June 23, 2010. Credit: WENN.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle hosted the second state dinner of his administration last night at the White House to celebrate an official visit from Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife Margarita. Michelle and Margarita got physical earlier in the day during a visit to a Maryland elementary school, but both women were dressed up, with Michelle in a Peter Soronen gown, to join a fresh-from-Cannes Eva Longoria. Beyonce Knowles had the honor of performing for the distinguished crowd with the Mexican act Rodrigo y Gabriela, after she also sang for the president last year at his inauguration. It was a lavish evening for all with a specially prepared menu from chef Rick Bayless, whose cooking Eva was especially excited to try.

To see more from the big night, just read more.

Last night was only the second formal state dinner of the Obama Administration, and it is the first black-tie event since the somewhat over-played disaster of the first state dinner last fall, in which those dumbass party-crashers became the story. From what I can tell, at last night’s dinner for the Mexican president and first lady (Felipe Calderon and Margarita Zavala), everyone behaved themselves, there were no crashers and nobody got invaded.

But this is about fashion! I love love love Michelle Obama’s gorgeous Peter Soronen gown. She’s worn Soronen before, and he’s quickly becoming one of my favorites of Michelle’s favorites. Michelle is showing off her arms again, of course. And even though I’m not a general fan of the whole one-strap/one-shoulder thing, the cut of the neckline and strap compliments Michelle’s shoulders and bust, so it works on her. I’m sure there will be those who talk about the hint of cleavage - I like it, it’s sexy. She doesn’t have her boobs on a platter, she just offering the barest hint of cleavage and it’s not trashy in the least. I’m also loving Michelle’s hair for the event. In the South, we call that “having your hair twitched.” Sure, her hair looks (over) worked. But the effect is dazzling, and it softens her so much. And oh yeah, the President looks great in black tie. They really do make such an attractive (and tall) couple.

By the way, what in the Walmart nightgown hell was the Mexican First Lady wearing? That dress looks like A) cotton jersey B) budget C) horribly cut D) all of the above. Fashion fail, Margarita Zavala.

Michelle & Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife Margarita Zavala at the White House on May 19, 2010. Credit: WENN.

Last April, Oscar de la Renta made some comments about Michelle Obama that many (including me) found very bitchy and snotty. Speaking to WWD, de la Renta basically claimed that it the First Lady’s duty to wear established America designers and established fashion houses because “American fashion right now is struggling.” He said that wearing young, unknown designers (at the time) like Jason Wu was not “the right message at this particular point….I don’t object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it’s wrong to go in one direction only.” He also complained about what Michelle wore to meet Queen Elizabeth, saying “You don’t…go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.’”

So it got intense. And de la Renta got criticized for being so critical of Michelle, and many thought de la Renta was just mad because he had dressed several First Ladies for major events and Michelle had chosen not to wear his stuff for anything, and was instead going with new designers with a fresher, less stuffy approach. He had to backtrack a little, and he later said “I don’t object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it’s wrong to go in one direction only.” Well guess what? He’s still miffed.

First ladies are “an American phenomenon,” Oscar de Renta told our colleague Robin Givhan. No other country, he said, obsesses about the spouse of its leader or imbues her with such profound meaning. The only reason the French are particularly interested in Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is because she was a model and girlfriend to rock stars, not because they consider her a symbol of their country.

“This country has always been very different about that,” he said. “And it’s a learning process. He was elected president. She wasn’t. But at the same time, there’s an expectation about her that perhaps she was not even ready for.”

So far the only de la Renta that the current first lady has worn has been Moises de la Renta, the designer’s son. That’s in keeping with her tradition of wearing clothes by less-established designers. And that, of course, makes a father proud. But still …

“I’d love to dress Mrs. Obama,” he said.

The designer said he was struck by her style at the Governors Ball in 2009 when she wore a sparkling pewter Peter Soronen gown and Tom Binns necklace. “She looked so fantastic,” he says.

Then he laughs. Kinda sorta. “I was dying of jealousy.”

[From The Washington Post]

I think he still sounds bitchy. Am I being too sensitive this morning? Perhaps. But seriously, “It’s a learning process. He was elected president. She wasn’t. But at the same time, there’s an expectation about her that perhaps she was not even ready for.” Bitch, right? It sounds like de la Renta thinks that every First Lady should wear his clothes because that’s just what is expected of them. If they don’t wear his clothes, they “weren’t ready” for the position. Why doesn’t it occur to him that Michelle Obama is just a young First Lady who wants to celebrate new, young designers as well as affordable ready-to-wear?

A few days ago, The National Enquirer printed a rumor that President Obama had an affair back in 2004 with a staffer on his Senate campaign. At first the Enquirer claimed to have hotel surveillance video that proved that a woman named Vera Baker visited Obama at his hotel. Then they retracted that part and have only the testimony of a limo driver who allegedly drove Baker to the hotel where Obama was staying, as if that claim is even strong enough to suggest an affair. To add more suspicion to this story, there’s a $1 million offer on the table by an anonymous benefactor to anyone who can prove that Obama had an affair. I’m so sure there’s no political agenda there. It’s also kind of a shame that the Enquirer is squandering the good will they earned from uncovering the Edwards affair with poorly sourced stories like this one.

The Obamas are reportedly ok with these rumors, as annoying as they are, because they know that they’re inevitable when you’re a high profile political figure. Compare their alleged response to Hilary Clinton talking about the “vast right wing conspiracy” against her husband. There may have been a conspiracy, but that doesn’t mean her husband wasn’t cheating.

White House insiders tell me Barack and Michelle Obama are less upset by the National Enquirer rehash of an old story about an alleged infidelity by the president than are some of their aides.

”The president and first lady know it’s all bulls—. They know they have a good marriage and fully understand that unfortunately these false stories go with the territory when you live in the White House.”

The Enquirer revisited the long-denied tale about a rumored romance in 2004 between Obama and campaign worker Vera Baker during the president’s run for the U.S. Senate.

[From The Chicago Sun Times]

Given all we’ve heard about cheating men lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama had an affair or multiple affairs. That’s purely based on the bad behavior of other men (and Presidents), though, and not Obama specifically. As it is this is not enough evidence to suggest that this woman even visited the President in his room - even for work purposes. You think that if there’s some dirt on Obama someone would have dug it up by now to use against him.

It looks like Barack and Michelle have a very loving, committed relationship and I don’t think that the President would jeopardize that. You never know, however, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned from near constant gossiping it’s that appearances can be deceiving. So can rumors, though, especially when you consider the motivations of the people who start them.