“It is no wonder… she chose to draw inspiration from her” — Audrey Hepburn's son speaks upon Ivanka Trump’s Dress Tribute at Inaugural Ball 2025

The night of Donald Trump's Inaugural Ball was about power, glamor, surprises, and a secret tribute. Amidst all the dazzle, a silent but strong tribute that stood out was the one Ivanka Trump paid to the late Hollywood icon, Audrey Hepburn.

Ivanka's wardrobe and style recreated Hepburn's look in Billy Wilder's 1954 rom-com, Sabrina, noted Entertainment Tonight on their official Instagram, adding that Hepburn's son Sean Ferrer "took notice of Ivanka’s fashion tribute"⁠ to the legend whose elegance and influence have crossed the barriers of culture and generations.

A tribute to timeless elegance

Ivanka Trump graced the 2025 Inaugural Ball in a dress that was much more than about just fashion. It was a testament to greatness. The dress, modeled after one that Audrey Hepburn wore in Sabrina, epitomized timelessness and elegance. Ivanka Trump's look underlined an age-old saying: True style doesn't need to follow fad or the times.

Sean Ferrer's Emotional Reaction

Audrey Hepburn's son Sean Ferrer hailed Ivanka's sartorial choice and was not shy of revealing as much. He told the Daily Mail:

“It is no wonder that growing up in a family which knew our mother as a household name she chose to draw inspiration from her, to seek the ultimate elegance and class reference, for an occasion such as this one – the inauguration and the 32nd anniversary of our mother’s passing and, most of all, Martin Luther King’s day.”

Ferrer was impressed by the Inaugural Ball, too. He said about the gala:

“What a cocktail!”

Ferrer's response to Ivanka Trump wearing the dress expressed more than his admiration about her fashion. It was also an emotional reaction, because Ivanka's decision to replicate Hepburn's Sabrina style was indeed a tribute to the Hollywood great as a humanitarian, too, beyond her successful film career. The action also reiterates the fact that Audrey Hepburn continues to influence millions even today.

Audrey Hepburn Tribute

Audrey Hepburn is one of the few movie stars whose stature as a legend has survived beyond their era. Most of us remember Audrey Hepburn as the star of My Fair Lady or Roman Holiday among many other classics, but she was a humanitarian, too, involved in charity work for underprivileged children. She worked with UNICEF in her last years. Ivanka's tribute to Ferrer's style was an embodiment of Hepburn's compassion, kindness, and cause.

Audrey Hepburn's style: A bridge between generations

Ivanka's choice to opt for Audrey Hepburn's Sabrina look reminds us how fashion can bridge the gap between the past and the present, and at the same time draws attention to the fact that the late Hollyeood star became a legend because the inspiration she left has transcended time. Choosing the dress, Ivanka drew the spotlight on a legacy that was much more than a red carpet sensation.

Ivanka Trump's personal connection to the tribute

Ivanka's decision to replicate the Sabrina dress at the Ball speaks of her decision to project Hepburn as a personal inspiration. According to Eonline, a rep of Ivanka Trump told Page Six:

“Audrey Hepburn has long been a personal inspiration to Ivanka.”

Legacy of Audrey Hepburn

Ivanka's dress it is a tribute to the spirit that Audrey Hepburn imbued into everything she did, from films to charity.

Ferrer's appreciation of Ivanka Trump's tribute, on the other hand, is about acknowledging how Ivanka's dress showed elegant style is often beyond the fashion trends of an era.

Ivanka's tribute also proves style is more than about merely looking good. It can transcend time to define the essence of womanhood in all its kindness, goodness, and toughness.

Edited by Vinayak Chakravorty

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