Obama Inauguration Reinvents Red Carpet

President Obama and the First Lady

orignally uploaded by acaben.

Can you imagine a presidency and country more poised for change? Not only do I anticipate change in fashion, home trends and carpet styles because of the First Family's Sense of Style, but I also expect a more creative use of carpet for traditional red carpet events.

First, were you aware that President Obama is the first president ever to take the Oath of Office from a recycled, solid-blue carpet? [Although he retook it shortly thereafter] And that he stepped on a recycled carpet runner [blue bordered in red] to go from the bottom of the U.S. Capitol’s Rotunda steps to the West Front podium? This according to TheHill.com and Green carpet won't quite cover Inaugural footprint.

Then, there are the fancy parties and Inaugural Balls.

Ball Tickets originally uploaded by brdweb.

Although I didn't make it to a single one in Washington, D.C. [preferring a quiet Northern New Jersey family celebration], I do feel as if I have lived some of the events. Is it the same for you?

Not only has the news coverage of these ultimate Red Carpet events been impressive, but I love what has been captured via social media tools live facebook, flickr [from where the photos here come] and huffingtonpost.com.

The New York Times has a wonderful article titled The President, the People, the Parties which includes several slide shows of the events. The article itself is fascinating as it gives you a sense of the breathless excitement and joy of Tuesday's events.

I particularly enjoyed the carpet references:

"The planners of some of the big-ticket parties presented their events as accessible as well, like the Inaugural Purple Ball, which celebrated “bipartisanship, unity and diversity” in the words of organizers.

Thus a traditional red carpet representing exclusivity was deemed boring and out of date. Instead the ball had a purple carpet. Other, so-called “green” balls had their own, yes, green carpets."

I definitely sense a reinvention for red carpet. What say you?

Added 1/28/09:

From the 1/28/09 issue of Interior Design, Obama Sworn in on Bentley Prince Street Carpet. Congratulations Bentley Prince Street, a valued Ultron carpet fiber customer!




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Post-Election Carpet All Wrapped Up

[Image courtesy of NewZimbabwe.com.]

After a long campaign and an even longer election day (or so it seemed), Barack Obama was named President-Elect of the United States of America. Because this election was historic in so many ways, we wanted to acknowledge it by wrapping it up in a style all our own... through more election carpet stories!

The Red Carpet Fashion Awards, a blog that discusses high-end fashion, discussed Michelle Obama's red and black dress in its Runway to Election Night post and debated whether or not it was indeed a Narciso Rodriguez. "Michelle Obama wore a black cropped cardigan over her black and red ombre dress which had a criss cross black satin detail cross her waist - which is very much a Narciso Rodriguez trademark - when it was confirmed that her husband was indeed the President of the United States of America, at a gathering in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois." (It was indeed a Rodriguez, although fashionistas everywhere expressed mixed opinions about it).

In Missouri, the House of Representatives' Chamber is about to receive a makeover. According to an article from the Associated Press, "The Missouri House will be rolling out a brand new red carpet for lawmakers coming to the Capitol for the 2009 session." Chosen to resemble the Capitol's original carpet, it will feature a pattern of yellow circles on a red background.

Pre-election, Sarah Palin came to St. Louis to throw out the first puck at a St. Louis Blues hockey game. So the story goes, the stadium rolled out carpet from the Blues bench to center ice for Palin and her family. Blues goalie, Manny Legace, was the first player out on the ice before the ceremony, was warned of the carpet, but it slipped just as he stepped onto it. Although he played during the first period, his strained left hip flexor proved too painful for him to continue. Never fear - he should be ready for the team's upcoming West Coast trip.

[Image from the Guardian. Photography credit: Wally McNamee/Corbis]

A blogger with the U.K.'s Guardian newspaper discussed a topic that we've actually covered here at The Carpetology Blog in a post called Presidential Design & Carpet: "The Oval Office carpet." "George Bush joked that the first decision of any new president is what kind of carpet he wants. So what kind of rug will Barack Obama choose?" Each president designs or chooses the carpet that is found on the floor of the Oval Office. In Change is coming... to the Oval Office rug, Matthew Weaver discusses the fact that each president's carpet is different (George W. Bush's carpet was designed by Laura, Gerald Ford went 70s casual with his brown rug) and ponders what Obama will choose.

And now, we wrap up another hard-hitting report on election carpet. We wish all of our lawmakers and President-Elect Obama the very best in the years to come... and may carpet inspire them!





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Red, White, Carpet and the Elections

Image at right from PoliticalTicker.blogs.cnn.com.

Originally from Getty Images.

With such a complete takeover of election coverage in the media in recent months, The Carpetology Blog has felt a little left out. So today, we're throwing our (carpet-covered) hat into the ring as well.

To add a little levity to the election conversation, we've put together a list of all things carpet-related. You might be surprised with what we've come up with...

Last year in September, Oprah Winfrey rolled out the red carpet for Senator Barack Obama. Apparently, her little soiree included 1,500 guests and cost $2,300 to attend. "Stevie Wonder performed for guests, who included Sidney Poitier, Forest Whitaker, Chris Rock, Cindy Crawford, Jimmy Connors, Linda Evans, Dennis Haysbert and many others."

The Evil Beet asks when Hollywood's closet Republicans will sport McCain t-shirts on the red carpet. There seems to be an overwhelming number of Obama tees worn by celebutainers these days.

The Stump accuses Obama of carpet-bombing the airways in this brief post from July 10. At that point in time, he was spending $2.8 million on advertising each day. As of Oct. 15, this number had risen to $4.5 million.

In a speech in Ohio back in May, Senator John McCain described life during the next few years should he be elected president. Apparently, one reporter dubbed his rosy outlook as fanciful as a magic carpet ride. McCain replied: “I don’t think it has anything to do with fantasy, I think it has everything to do with setting goals and achieving.’’

According to blogger Anna Pickard of the U.K.'s Guardian, the carpet used during Obama and McCain's second debate (the town hall style) was a shade of Eye-Stabbing Scarlet, "the ugliest red anyone had ever seen."

You can take a look at a very dapper Senator McCain in a TIME Magazine red carpet interview here on YouTube.

Oprah isn't the only big name star who's willing to drop a few dollars for Obama. According to an AP article from June, "the campaign trail is taking a detour down the red carpet." More of Hollywood's finest came out for a gala in Obama's honor, some paying $28,500 for a VIP dinner ticket alone.

Image at left credited to Richard Perry/The New York Times.
Recently, Blog Really claims that "Palin calls McCain out on the carpet for folding his hand in Michigan." Is this a shrewd political tactic or a regrettable gaffe on Palin's part? You decide.

So there you have it - our very fuzzy take on 2008 presidential election coverage . If you happen to run across any other squares of carpet news, please make sure you return here and pile it on our comment section.

Until then, we're signing off...

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Meet Red Carpet Reporter Franchesca Ramsey

It's official.... Franchesca Ramsey [aka Chescaleigh] is the new YouTube and People.com Red Carpet Reporter! Hurray! And we met her here!

Here's a recap. Elizabeth reported on the contest back in July with Be a Red Carpet Reporter!

The competition, which launched in July, invited "aspiring red carpet reporters to post their videos to a co-branded casting channel on YouTube (www.youtube.com/redcarpetreporter). Applicants posted their best two-to four-minute videos showcasing their interviewing skills as they chatted up family and friends, while pretending to be on the red carpet at a Hollywood award show."

And, then, we heard from Francesca who told us she had made it to the top 10 finalists! Elizabeth shared that news in Support Your Local Red Carpet Reporter!

We kept our fingers crossed. And, last week Francesca shared the fantastic news with us. We promised to keep quiet until she gave us the go ahead and the details.

Some of the details from the press release:

"Franchesca Leigh Ramsey, a 24-year-old communications manager with the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, will spend a whirlwind two days in Los Angeles this September where she will receive the ultimate red carpet treatment herself, including hair and make-up by Revlon, a clothing allowance, VIP entry to exclusive events, before fulfilling her dream of working the red carpet interviewing television’s biggest names."

If you haven't already, do view Franchesca’s videos:
+ Round 1 -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5u9UTAFbuE;
+ Round 2 -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf55zA1NfzA

Just think, “One month ago, I was surfing celebrity entertainment websites, performing stand up in front of small crowds, and dreaming of what it would be like on the red carpet.” And, now, we can look forward to her amazing Red Carpet adventure.

Before she took off for the Labor Day weekend, Francesca answered a few of my interview questions:

CB: Francesca, what is most important about being a red carpet reporter?

FR: For me the opportunity to showcase my personality, meet actors that have inspired me throughout my developing career and the chance to use this as a stepping stone to bigger and better make will make this the experience of a life time!

CB: What do you anticipate your biggest challenge being?

FR: Right now I'm focusing on learning as much as I can about the nominees and the programs they're on prior to the show. I have a confession to make, I don't have cable!! So I set up my Netflix so I can catch up on all the great shows that are nominated so I can be as prepared as possible. I also started making flash cards with the nominees photo on one side and all their info on the back. I want to make sure I have a funny anecdote or interesting fact about everyone I talk to. So I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I'm ready for the challenge!

CB: What have you observed so far about the actual carpet at red carpet events?

FR: Ha! Other than the fact that it's actually red, nothing really! I think I'll have to get back to you on this one, once I've actually been to a red carpet event and I can give you the inside scoop on fiber textures and such.

Thank you, Francesca, and best of luck [especially with the carpet details]! We will be following your adventures on YouTube - www.youtube.com/redcarpetreporter - and can't wait to view your Red Carpet celebrity interviews. We know they will be terrific!

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Support Your Local Red Carpet Reporter!

At the end of July, The Carpetology Blog was quite taken with a fetching little contest called Be a Red Carpet Reporter.

Sponsored by YouTube and People.com, it gave average Joes and Janes the opportunity to schmooze and mingle with Hollywood celebrities for one night simply by submitting a two-minute interview video to the site. None of us here actually submitted anything, but, secretly, we all wished they would automatically consider us because of our charm, wit and affinity for carpet of all colors, including red.

Today, all of our dreams came true. Sort of.

Chescaleigh left us a little gem of a comment, alerting us to the fact that A) the top 10 contest submissions were posted, and B) she is one of them!

It's the next best thing to being finalists ourselves. Carpetology is officially living vicariously through Chescaleigh who - with a little more digging - we discovered that we like a lot!

*Her name is Francesca, and she's a self-described graphic designer, singer and comedian who works by day for the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce.

*She has a great sense of style and (here's my favorite part) shops at Target!

*She gives a delightful interview - check out her video on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/redcarpetreporter.

Don't you just want to be her friend? If you find yourself with a spare moment anytime between now and August 25, send Chescaleigh a note of encouragement and, more importantly, vote for her in the contest!

If she wins, we all win. Please, vote for Chescaleigh.

Added 8/21/08: per AS SEEN ON THE WEB
A red-carpet battle royale, Francesca is a finalist. Hurray!

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