Lila Dishes for Sunday Styles

It's well known that the first lady has been a great supporter of American designers and specifically young American designers. The question still remains as to Michelle Obama's real impact on sales and the financial health of these blossoming labels.

It was a surprise to many when Mrs.Obama's favorite designer, Maria Pinto, announced that she was closing her business despite all the publicity.

As with many designers spotlighted by Mrs. Obama, “you can definitely win the PR race, but there’s still a business to manage,” said Lila Delilah, who writes the blog, Madison Avenue Spy.

Ms. Delilah recently discovered that another iconic Michelle Obama outfit, the red and black Narciso Rodriguez dress Mrs. Obama wore on election night in 2008 — part of a tableau that has been enshrined in history — also showed signs of suffering in the consumer marketplace. It was being offered on the Bergdorf Goodman Web site at $1,540, down from $4,400.

Click here to see Hilary Stout's article, Can Michelle Obama Create A Fashion Star? What do you tihnk?