Chinese consul calls out White House spokesperson’s China-made dress
As the US ramps up tariffs on Chinese imports to historic levels, a Chinese diplomat has stirred up a different kind of trade debate—this time, about a dress.
The Chinese Consul General in Indonesia took to X (formerly Twitter) to point out that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was allegedly wearing a dress made in China during her January 31 press briefing—where she announced new tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico.
“Accusing China is business. Buying China is life,” the diplomat wrote. “The beautiful lace on the dress was recognized by an employee of a Chinese company as its product.”
The dress in question is by Self-Portrait, a UK-registered brand founded by Malaysian-Chinese designer Han Chong, and manufactured in China, according to the diplomat who shot this information back after a user accused China of copying global designs.
Self Portrait, brand registered in UK, created by a Malaysian Chinese designer, made in China. pic.twitter.com/t5L18KM3Rl
— Zhang Zhisheng (@salahzhang) April 15, 2025
The exchange went viral just as the Biden administration raised tariffs on Chinese goods to as high as 245 percent—a sharp escalation in the ongoing trade war that began under former President Donald Trump and has intensified in recent weeks. China recently retaliated with its own 125 percent tariff hike on US products.
Meanwhile, on social media platforms like TikTok, Chinese sellers are adapting by targeting American consumers directly. Factory-linked influencers are promoting what they claim are OEM (original equipment manufacturer) goods at factory prices—although many of the claims remain unverified, and some brands have warned about counterfeits.
Despite political efforts to decouple from Chinese manufacturing, much of the global luxury fashion supply chain still runs through China—whether it’s the lace on a White House dress or the leggings in your TikTok cart.
As trade policy grows more aggressive, the irony becomes harder to ignore: the global economy remains deeply entangled, even at the highest levels of politics.
