Much has been made of the Obama effect on fashion. From mannequins crediting the President and First Lady as having sparked a trend of casting more non-white models for shoots and runway shows, to Michelle Obama being heralded as a stimulus package for the fashion industry, Capitol Hill’s sartorial power is presumed to be as varied and wide reaching as the designers stocked in Mrs. O’s closet. But, how much of a financial impact has the First Lady actually had on brands like Jason Wu, Peter Soronen and Thakoon, now household names thanks to Michelle Obama?

“There has been a huge interest in special orders, which honestly has helped maintain a business in this gloomy time,” Soronen told Women’s Wear Daily. Designer Sophie Theallet, whose striped shirtdress Mrs. O donned in early May, echoes Soronen’s sentiment. Mrs. O’s impact on J. Crew has produced a similar effect: “the beaded cardigan she wore in Europe (retail price: $298) [went] on back order nearly immediately.” And, it’s not just the J. Crew frocks Michelle Obama is wearing that are influencing the mass-market retailer: “The company is watching the First Lady’s aesthetic for clues as to what women may want from future collections.” In other words, expect “a lot more kitten heels on the market next year.” Thakoon, a Mrs. O favorite for months, says of Mrs. O wearing his frock to meet France’s First Lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy: “It was like having an international ad campaign.” But, at the same time, Thakoon has yet to see a sharp increase in sales as a result of the increased exposure. Jason Wu on the other hand, has “really catapulted because of Michelle.” But, perhaps the biggest winner in fashion is Ikram, the Chicago boutique run by Ikram Goldman which has been providing Mrs. Obama with her much-photographed frocks from before the campaign days, and appears to still be her boutique of choice.