Michelle`s designer goes bankrupt

Michelle`s favourite designer Maria Pinto is going out of business.

Chicago: US first lady Michelle Obama`s favourite city-based designer Maria Pinto is going out of business as sales have waned in a bad economy.Pinto, whose clientele also includes talk show host Oprah Winfrey, is closing her store Lola Black LLC. In a five-day sale starting here next week, her collection of daywear, eveningwear and accessories would be liquidated at 50-70 per cent off.

Her designs were carried by major stores like Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys and Takashimaya in New York, as well as high-end boutiques across the country, reported Chicago Tribune. But the designer hit a rough patch after sales to retailers started dwindling. She decided to close her shop and cease wholesale operations in January this year. Her store Lola Black LLC may also seek bankruptcy protection. Michelle, who has turned into an icon with her exquisite taste in fashion, had worn Maria Pinto designs to several key events during her husband US President Barack Obama`s political career, including the night she spoke at the Democratic National Convention. PTI