Melania Trump’s Memoir Cover Sparks Controversy Over Resemblance to Fashion Book

Melania Trump’s memoir, simply titled Melania, went on pre-sale in August 2024 and has already generated significant buzz—not for its content, but for its cover design. The memoir’s cover closely resembles that of the 2020 fashion book Chanel Catwalk, written by French author Patrick Mauries.

Both covers feature the title in white text over a plain black background, a similarity that has not gone unnoticed by the public and media. Chanel Catwalk, published by Thames & Hudson, is a comprehensive compilation of every collection from the brand’s iconic late fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld. The striking resemblance between the two book covers has led to criticism and mockery online since Melania Trump announced the pre-release of her memoir on her X handle, @MELANIATRUMP.

“Our lives are shaped by our experiences, challenges, and achievements. For the first time, I share my journey with you, in my new memoir, Melania,” she wrote, alongside a picture of the memoir’s cover. Set for worldwide release on October 1, 2024, the memoir is described as “a powerful and inspiring story of a woman who has carved her path, overcome adversity, and defined personal excellence”, as noted by The Daily Beast.

However, the announcement was met with a wave of online trolling. Journalist Victoria Brownworth commented on X, “Imagine that the lady who was furious she didn’t get a Vogue cover as First Lady has a memoir with no photo of her on the cover like in every other memoir in history.” Author David Stone also joined in, posting, “Did Melania copy a Chanel book cover for her ‘Melania’ memoir? I don’t care really, but it’s fun to point out. Melania had no problem plagiarizing Michelle Obama’s speech, so stealing a book cover isn’t a big reach.”

This is not the first time Melania Trump has faced allegations of plagiarism. In 2016, she was criticized for seemingly lifting portions of Michelle Obama’s Democratic National Convention speech for her own speech at the Republican National Convention. The resemblance between the Melania and Chanel Catwalk covers has only fueled further scrutiny.

According to The Independent, Melania is being published by Skyhorse Publishing, a company known for publishing works from allies of former President Donald Trump. The memoir is available in various editions, with the collector’s edition priced at $150, a signed copy at $75, and a regular edition at $40. It is also available on Amazon for $30.

Despite this being her first memoir, Melania Trump has been the subject of several other books, including Melania and Me by her former adviser Stephanie Winston Wolkoff. In her book, Wolkoff detailed her time working with the former first lady, recounting how Trump often said that “pleasing anyone else is not her priority.” Wolkoff noted that Melania, ever pragmatic, believed that since she couldn’t control people’s thoughts, she shouldn’t care what they believed.