Michelle Obama sparked fierce backlash this week after a resurfaced video showed her urging affluent shoppers to be “mindful” about supporting designers of color—a message conservatives are calling blatant racial discrimination dressed up as fashion advice.
Viral Clip Ignites Race-Based Shopping Debate
A 35-second video clip from Michelle Obama’s panel discussion promoting her photo book *The Look* exploded across social media. The former First Lady told attendees, “If you have the money to buy Chanel, then you have the money to buy everybody, so let us be mindful.” She questioned audiences about their closets: “What does our closet look like and who’s in it? Who are we supporting?”
The clip amassed millions of views within hours, with conservative commentators framing it as a call to avoid white-owned fashion brands—a characterization that raises serious questions about identity politics infiltrating consumer choices.
🚨 JUST IN: Michelle Obama is being ripped for urging an anti-white BOYCOTT
She said to "make it a point" to buy people of color's brands of clothes and to "think" about which race owns clothes you're going to buy
Racist and disgraceful First Lady.pic.twitter.com/0F2uiHHnip
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 19, 2026
Conservative Leaders Denounce Divisive Message
Senator Mike Lee of Utah joined the chorus of criticism, calling Obama’s message “divisive” and questioning why race should determine purchasing decisions. Social media users flooded platforms with accusations of hypocrisy, with many asking what the reaction would be if Melania Trump had made similar comments about white designers.
The backlash reflects growing frustration among conservatives who see this as yet another example of leftist elites pushing racial division under the guise of social justice. This type of race-conscious consumer advocacy undermines the principle of merit-based commerce and individual freedom of choice—core values that built American economic prosperity.
While Obama’s supporters argue she was promoting inclusion rather than exclusion—pointing out she wore a white designer’s skirt in the viral clip—the optics remain problematic. Her framing implies that affluent shoppers have a moral obligation to consider race when making purchases, a concept that runs counter to the colorblind meritocracy many Americans still believe in. The fashion industry, like any sector, should reward talent and quality, not operate as a vehicle for social engineering based on immutable characteristics.
Sources:
MICHELLE OBAMA: BUY BLACK, SKIP WHITE?! – 77 WABC Radio
Michelle Obama: ‘What Does Our Closet Look Like and Who’s in It? Who Are We Supporting?’ – Grabien
Michelle Obama on her White House fashion in new book ‘The Light’ – Good Morning America