Michelle's first wax figure draws fans

Washington, April 08: Amid fanfare, US first lady Michelle Obama`s maiden wax figure has been unveiled at Madame Tussauds here, causing a commotion on the opening day with visitors queuing up to see the new style icon.The incredibly life-like figure of 45-year-old Michelle, dressed in a red, sleeveless custom-designed outfit is based on the purple dress she wore the night her husband claimed the Democratic presidential nomination.

"First lady Michelle Obama was not in Washington on Tuesday, but one might have thought so from the commotion on F Street," a news channel noted. A line stretched down the block outside the museum by noon, while inside, a circus of media and visitors swarmed around the exhibit for its grand opening yesterday. The wax figure stands in the museum`s replica Oval Office. The figure is beside President Obama`s wax statue, which was unveiled in February 2008. The museum`s artists began working on the wax figure in late December. While Michelle did not pose for the artists, they were able to achieve a life-like representation of the first lady by poring over photographs and video footage of her. "The hardest thing to capture is the essence," Shameka Lloyd, a museum spokesperson said. Bureau Report