In this April 24, 2018 photo, President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, pose for photographs as they arrive for a State Dinner at the White House in Washington. Melania is now auctioning off a hat she wore during the visit.
AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File
- Melania Trump is auctioning off a collection of White House memorabilia.
- The “Head of State” collection includes a white hat, a watercolor painting, and an NFT.
- Bids starting at the equivalent of $250,000 in cryptocurrency will be accepted beginning on Jan. 11.
Former first lady Melania Trump is auctioning off a collection of White House memorabilia including an Hervé Pierre hat, a watercolor painting, and a non-fungible token (NFT) commemorating French President Emmanuel Macron’s 2018 state visit to the United States.
Bids for the “Head of State” collection, which previews on Trump’s website on Tuesday, will start at the equivalent of $250,000 in SOL cryptocurrency and will be accepted between January 11 and January 25, Trump announced on Tuesday.
The centerpiece of the collection is an “iconic wide-brimmed white hat” that was custom designed and fashioned by Pierre. It features the same fabric as the Michael Kors suit worn by the former first lady during the 2018 state visit.
“It is important to note that Mr. Pierre designed Mrs. Trump’s inaugural gown and served as her fashion stylist and consultant during the President,” according to a statement announcing the auction. “Indeed, Mrs. Trump’s iconic white hat garnered media attention worldwide.”
The collection also comes with an “original watercolor” painting created by fashion artist Marc-Antoine Coulon to commemorate and celebrate the occasion, and an accompanying NFT that will live on the Solana blockchain.
All three items will be signed by Trump.
Trump launched her first foray into the world of NFTs in mid-December with a digital artwork titled “Melania’s Vision” representing her “cobalt blue eyes,” which was also designed by Coulon.
Part of the proceeds from both Trump’s initial NFT and the newly-announced “Head of State” collection will go to her “Fostering the Future” initiative, which helps children who have been in the foster care system access “computer science and technology education,” per the announcement.
—MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) January 4, 2022
