The Story Behind the Dress: Ivanka Trump’s Controversial Tribute to Audrey Hepburn Sparks Debate
The dress sparked controversy—Ivanka called it ‘a great privilege,’ while others labeled it ‘insane’ ’
At the presidential inaugural ball on January 20, 2025, the country’s First Daughter, Ivanka Trump, used her time in the spotlight to pay homage to the late actress and philanthropist Audrey Hepburn by recreating one of the actress’s most iconic and timeless dresses. Trump’s choice has since caused a lot of controversy on social media, with people even going as far as calling it “insane.” Below is everything you need to know about the dress and the online upheaval.
Ivanka Trump pays tribute to Audrey Hepburn at the presidential inaugural ball
Trump, 43, stepped out onto the dancefloor Monday night in a floor-length sleeveless white gown decorated with black flowers and a long train. She then opted to pair it with a diamond necklace, black gloves and black stiletto heels.
The dress was custom-made for Trump by Givenchy, the same designer who created Hepburn’s wardrobe for the 1954 Oscar-winning film Sabrina. This included her beloved white ball gown embellished with black flowers. The only difference between hers and Trump’s was that Hepburn paired hers with white gloves instead of black and didn’t wear any necklace.
“Audrey Hepburn has long been a personal inspiration to Ivanka,” a White House representative told Page Six. “She views it as a great privilege to honor her legacy in this way and is incredibly grateful to the team at Givenchy for bringing this moment to life.”
Following Monday night’s event, people online quickly noticed the similarities between Hepburn’s and Trump’s ball gowns.
They voiced their disdain for The First Daughter’s decision to wear the newest version of the dress on Instagram, writing, “Audrey would dislike Ivanka so very much if she knew her. This is insane.”
Others pointed out that, besides her work as an actress, Hepburn was also an active voice in fighting for human rights, which they believe Trump doesn’t do.
“This is like wearing Marilyn Monroe’s dress, but even worse,” one Instagram user commented. “Audrey Hepburn was a humanitarian. I don’t think people who made such an impact on others’ lives should be the playthings of millionaires, even if it’s only objects or things they left behind.”
Despite all the controversy surrounding the clothing items, one user pointed out that even though Trump wore the late actress’s gown, “Audrey wasn’t materialistic and wouldn’t want her legacy tied simply to a dress.”
Hepburn’s son Sean Hepburn Ferrer also commented on the gowns, saying “‘It is no wonder that growing up in a family which knew our mother as a household name she chose to draw inspiration from her, to seek the ultimate elegance and class reference, for an occasion such as this one— the inauguration and the 32nd anniversary of our mother’s passing and, most of all, Martin Luther King’s day.”
The surprising Carrie Fisher/Debbie Reynolds connection
Hepburn’s original gown from Sabrina was sold at auction in 2017 after it was discovered in a box at Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds’s house.
“There’s just no way that Debbie knew she had this,” Joe Maddalena, president and CEO of Profiles in History, said at the time of the auction. “She purchased so many things over the years, at one point it was just likely forgotten.”
“It really is one of the four or five most famous dresses in cinema history, and we almost missed it. If we hadn’t opened those trunks, they likely would have just gone to Goodwill.”
The dress’s current and it is believed to have been sold for somewhere between $80,000 and $120,000.
Audrey Hepburn’s history of giving back
Indeed, aside from being an actress, Hepburn was also a well-established philanthropist who could often be found volunteering all over America and in certain parts of Africa and Asia to help children receive proper food, water and vaccines.
She also served as a goodwill ambassador to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) from 1988 to 1993.
“I can testify to what UNICEF means to children because I was among those who received food and medical relief after World War II,” Hepburn once said, according to the UNICEF website. “I have a long-lasting gratitude and trust for what UNICEF does.”
Hepburn died in 1993 at age 62 from colon cancer.
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