Don't Miss:

Gilles Mendel, the designer behind J. Mendel, dresses celebrities like Taylor Swift, Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana, and Hilary Swank all the time, but there was one introduction that left him starstruck—First Lady Michelle Obama. “I had a moment with Mrs. Obama and she was so gracious,” Mendel told InStyle.com at his New York Fashion Week show yesterday. His moment happened at the National Design Awards at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt Museum in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, where the designer accepted this year’s Fashion Design Award, winning over finalists Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu, both of whom dressed the First Lady in the past. “I sat next to her during the luncheon,” he continued. “It was so surreal. She really was a vision. I’m critical, but I have to say—she blew my mind. She was so perfect!” So does this mean we’ll be seeing the First Lady wear a J. Mendel design for the first time soon? “I have millions of ideas for her,” he said. “I’m working on it.”

MORE:
• J. Mendel Sketches Taylor Swift’s Dress
• Celebrities Wearing J. Mendel

— Lindzi Scharf

Taylor Swift walked the carpet at the People’s Choice Awards on Wednesday night in a pretty peach pleated cocktail dress with an illusion neckline by J. Mendel. The designer behind the label, Gilles Mendel, shared an exclusive sketch of the dress from his spring 2011 collection with InStyle (right), which captures the thought behind the look. The singer and new face of Cover Girl (check out her first commercial!) finished the look with Prada heels and Neil Lane jewelry. See the dress, from sketch to runway to red carpet, in the gallery.

MORE:
• People’s Choice Awards: Full Red Carpet!
• Backstage at the People’s Choice Awards
• Celebrity Beauty Secret