How Ivanka Trump Signaled Her Political Era Was Over at Inauguration

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Ivanka Trump attended Donald Trump’s inaugural ball with a very different perspective this time around. In 2017, she was ushering in her political era as a White House senior adviser. In 2025, Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner were headed back to Miami after the celebrations and her Liberty Ball gown clearly reflected that. 

Ivanka showed up in a “custom black and white Givenchy gown” that was inspired by Audrey Hepburn in the 1954 film, Sabrina, co-starring Humphrey Bogart, per Vogue. Instead of the white gloves worn by Hepburn, Ivanka modernized the look with black opera gloves and swept her long, blonde hair into a classic French twist. 

“Audrey Hepburn has long been a personal inspiration to Ivanka,” Ivanka’s rep 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.” This isn’t the first time the first daughter was inspired by the movie industry; fans will remember her blue Galia Lahav dress from Tiffany Trump’s 2022 wedding that was reminiscent of Grace Kelly’s wardrobe from the 1955 film, To Catch a Thief. Ivanka doesn’t see herself in the Washington, D.C. bubble, she’s setting her sights on Hollywood. 

While Ivanka isn’t angling to be an actress, she’s looking at Hollywood royalty for inspiration — the elite, high-society socialites who bridge the gap of fame. The eldest daughter of Donald Trump wasn’t looking to lean into the Republican Party at the inauguration, she prefers her privileged world, and the symbolic cosplay associated with an ensemble influenced by the life of Hepburn.

Ivanka has always had her hand in fashion, opening a line of clothing and accessories in 2007. The growth of her company was astronomical until her father’s first election in 2016 — sales tanked as people boycotted the brand and retailers opted to stop selling her line, per Racked in 2017. She blamed her work in Washington for the closure of her company in 2018, but a People source divulged that the move was “a very emotional decision for her.”

She never jumped back into the fashion industry, but her very strategic decision in her wardrobe for high-profile events shows that she’s sending a message. Ivanka is no longer in the political fold, she’s firmly committed to her most glamorous era.

Before you go, click here to see every time Ivanka Trump has tried to distance herself from the Trump family: