With just over two weeks to go to the US Presidential Inauguration, First Lady-in-waiting Melania Trump has fuelled speculation about which designer she will wear to the historic event by donning Dolce & Gabbana to a New Year's Eve celebration.
The photos of Mrs Trump wearing the black, knee-length cocktail dress, which retails for nearly $4500, to a New Year's party in Palm Beach, Florida, have reignited voices on both sides of the "who will dress Melania Trump" debate.
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Following the controversial election of her husband, President-elect Donald Trump, several designers said they were "boycotting" the future first lady, including Sophie Theallet, Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford.
Other designers, including most recently Diane von Furstenberg, have said Mrs Trump should receive the same treatment as any other first lady through history, having access to whichever frocks she wants to wear.
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Speculation surrounding Mrs Trump's inauguration outfits, both for the ceremony and the ball, has centred around Ralph Lauren and several other US designers yet to openly declare their stance on the issue.
Although it is customary for the First Lady to wear a US designer for the occasion – Michelle Obama's favourite designers included Theallet and Jason Wu – Mrs Trump has shown she's partial to overseas designers, such as Serbian-born Roksanda Ilincic.
After the New Year's photos emerged, Stefano Gabbana celebrated Mrs Trump's outfit on social media.
But not everyone was pleased, with one commenter writing: "You should know stefano that OUR election has torn apart our@country. Many gays, minorities and others fear legislation that will take away freedoms. If it were Mrs Reagan, Bush or Obama (either party) no one on either side would mind. But this is offensive to the core. So glad I didn't buy your Capri bag b4 going to Capri this year [sic]."
However, there was also a lot of support for the designers.
"I'm not a costumer for your brand (just because I can't afford it LOL). I follow you here because you're LOTS of fun and your work is amazing. I don't like Trump but I like fashion. And US first lady is stunning. Unfortunately, success always bothers others. And that's why you're facing hate now [sic]," wrote one follower.
On Thursday, Saks Fifth Avenue was showing one US size 12 for $US2995 ($4110), while international fashion e-commerce site Farfetch had limited stock for $4400.Â
Like other celebrities and first ladies, Mrs Trump's fashion choices often sell out within days or hours of her wearing them.
The white, bell-sleeve Roksanda dress she wore at the Republican Convention was snapped up immediately after pictures of Mrs Trump in the dress went around the world.
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Since the election, several fashion magazines have said they will be scaling back their coverage of the first lady as a protest against Mr Trump's track record on issues ranging from women to homosexuality.Â
Despite their oppositional views, it was reported this week that Hillary Clinton will attend the inauguration, to be held in Washington on January 20, US time.