Melania Trump’s upcoming memoir, set to be released on October 1, is already stirring controversy, particularly regarding its cover design. The memoir, titled Melania, has drawn comparisons to the cover of Chanel Catwalk, a fashion book by French author Patrick Mauries released in 2020. The similarities in design and font between the two books have not gone unnoticed.
Cover Design Controversy
The cover of Melania Trump’s memoir features the title Melania in white text on a plain black background. This stark and minimalist design mirrors the cover of Chanel Catwalk, which also uses a similar font and layout. The resemblance has raised eyebrows, with some critics suggesting a possible lack of originality. The Daily Beast highlighted the similarities, noting that the design choices echo those of Mauries’ fashion book.
This incident is not the first time Melania Trump has faced criticism for alleged copycat behavior. In 2016, during the Republican National Convention, she was accused of lifting portions of Michelle Obama’s speech from the 2008 Democratic National Convention. The similarities in language led to widespread accusations of plagiarism.
Melania Trump’s Promotion and Criticism
In promoting her memoir on social media, Melania Trump took to X (formerly Twitter) to share an Amazon link to her book. She wrote, “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.” Her office has described the book as “a powerful and inspiring story of a woman who has carved her own path, overcome adversity and defined personal excellence.”
Despite the promotional efforts, the book’s cover has attracted criticism from various quarters. 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. It’s a low-budget right-wing publisher, but still—couldn’t Trump have sprung for a photo cover for his 3rd wife?”
Critics on social media echoed Brownworth’s sentiments. One user remarked, “This is the last book I’d ever want to read. Yuck. And it is weird to not have her photo on the cover. What’s up with that?” Another suggested, “Wonder who she plagiarized this time?” Comments continued, with one user noting, “Dark and stark, it feels pretty much on the nose, actually,” and another adding, “Photo or not, I wouldn’t spend a dime to read this ‘memoir’.” There was even a comment questioning the minimalist design choice, with one user pondering, “Probably thinks this is minimalist trendy,” while another quipped, “But if they went for a photo cover, how could she plagiarize the Chanel cover?”
