inaugural poet amanda gorman
Amanda Gorman recited her poem, "The Hill We Climb," at the inauguration for President Joe Biden.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
  • At 22, Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in US history.
  • As she recited her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” she wore a bright-yellow coat.
  • Gorman told Vogue the coat had hidden meaning and was a nod to Jill Biden. 
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Amanda Gorman weaved symbolism throughout her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” which she recited for millions tuning in to President Joe Biden’s inauguration today. 

Gorman, 22, is the youngest inaugural poet. She follows in the footsteps of other famous inaugural poets like Maya Angelou and Elizabeth Alexander. 

While the poem was filled with references and symbols, her outfit was also filled with meaning. 

“I am weaving my own type of symbolism into my outfit, and it’s really special and important to me to deliver these nuggets of information and sentimentality as I’m reciting the poem,” the 22-year-old told Vogue.

Perhaps the biggest statement was a bright-yellow jacket from the designer Miuccia Prada. 

Gorman's bright yellow jacket was a nod to Jill Biden

amanda gorman
Amanda Gorman's bold-yellow coat was a nod to Jill Biden.
Win McNamee/Getty Images

As Gorman walked onto the stage, she wore a bold-yellow coat, which according to Vogue, was a nod to first lady Jill Biden.

Jill Biden is the reason Gorman landed her role as an inaugural poet. In 2017, Jill Biden first came across Gorman from a video of her performance of "In This Place: An American Lyric," at the Library of Congress.

When Jill Biden saw her stunning performance, it left a lasting impression. According to Vogue, so did Gorman's dress. In the video, Gorman was wearing a similar bright shade of yellow. 

When people were discussing an inaugural poet for January, Jill Biden reached out to Gorman to ask if she'd be willing to write and recite an original poem for Joe Biden's inauguration. She also added that she had loved her dress's color from the 2017 performance.

"She said, 'I saw this video of you and you were wearing yellow and I loved it,'" Gorman told Vogue.

Gorman agreed to perform a poem for the inauguration.

Every day she'd write a few lines, struggling to find the right words for the monumental task, according to The New York Times.  She was about halfway through when pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6.

That night, she finished the poem.

Gorman's poem reflected the theme of the inauguration, "America United."

"There is space for grief and horror and hope and unity," she told The New York Times. "I also hope that there is a breath for joy in the poem because I do think we have a lot to celebrate at this inauguration."

Gorman stepped onto the stage wearing the brightest color of the day. Her sunshine yellow coat likely signified joy - a feeling some people across the country were feeling this afternoon.

To Jill Biden, the coat's color likely felt familiar as it was the same shade Gorman wore in the video where Jill Biden first saw her perform. 

 

Gorman chose Prada because of the designer's outspoken feminist beliefs

According to Vogue, Gorman intentionally chose a look by Prada.

Prada has a long history of strong feminist statements, which Gorman admires, per Vogue. 

According to Prada's website, Gorman's coat was on sale for $1,666.37 and it originally sold for $2,777.28. The coat was sold out at the time of writing. 

prada yellow coat
The yellow coat Amanda Gorman work to President Joe Biden's inauguration.
Prada

People rushed to comment and inquire about the bright coat and powerful performance 

As Gorman stepped in front of the lectern, people immediately took to the Internet to gush about Gorman's fashion.

Twitter users quickly commented on the young woman's striking coat.

 

Others are now on a hunt to find a copycat jacket for themselves. Google saw an influx of people searching for the terms "poet coat" following Gorman's performance. 

Screen Shot 2021 01 20 at 4.54.10 PM
A screenshot of the spike of interest in "poet coat."
Google Trends

People are clearly captivated with Gorman's work and her fashion sense, too. 

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