Cuban-born American designer Isabel Toledo hit the bigtime when Michelle Obama appeared at the Vogue/Calvin Klein fundraiser in New York on June 18, 2008 wearing a black Toledo creation (photo right). 

Isabel met her artist husband Reuben, also Cuban-born, while attending high school in New Jersey. They married soon afterwards, and entered the New York fashion world almost immediately.

Michelle Obama bought her Toledo outfit at Ikram in Chicago. Toledo says, "I understand that she buys a lot of my work, which I am honored by. It's even better than her contacting me, the fact that she just goes out and buys it."

Toledo is working on more creations for Mrs. Obama. She even has ideas for an inaugural dress

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MICHELLE OBAMA IN ISABEL TOLEDO PANTS

Outfit by Isabel Toledo. Necklace by Irish designer Tom Binns