Eggs, hats and unfettered ambition: what we learned about Melania Trump from her documentary

"Melania's appears an entirely airless existence, in which she glides solo about gilt corridors in silence, David Lynch-style, observed by tight-lipped heavies. All her staff dress in deference to her, mostly in black, but sometimes as in the case of her interior designer in a matching camel-coloured three-piece suit. Candidates interviewing for assistant roles have also got the memo, lining up in a sea of monochrome, with buttery hair and prominent cross necklaces. Melania and helper. Photograph: Amazon"

"My creative vision is always clear and it's my responsibility to share it with my team so they can bring it to life, Melania explains in voiceover. This translates to her telling them to cinch stuff in. More tension, tighter, she commands about a collar. A coat needs to skim nearer her hips. A hat brim is reprimanded as a little bit wiggly-woggly."

"While we learn that Melania is apparently in charge of everything about the inauguration-adjacent shindigs, we learn nothing of the menu save for the fact that the appetiser at one ball will be a golden egg, placed in an eggcup, on a plate. The first lady has no notes about this what has laid it, whether it's actually edible, if something alongside it might be nice other than approval of its colour. She never eats or drinks. Melania walks down a corridor. Photograph: Amazon"

Melania's public existence is portrayed as isolated and carefully staged, with tight security and a monochrome, deferential staff aesthetic. A large portion of attention centers on meticulous fittings and sartorial control, with specific directives about tension, collars, coat hems and hat brims. Catering and everyday details receive little interest, exemplified by approval of a golden egg appetiser without notes on origin or edibility while she never eats or drinks. Interior design and event presentation are prioritized, including cleaned rugs, steamed furniture, and oversized red envelopes for invitations, emphasizing timeless elegance and visual cohesion.

Read at www.theguardian.com