The designer explained why he stays away from trends

THE fashion designer behind White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s wardrobe has revealed secret messages he hides in her suits.

Christopher Cuozzo designs custom outfits for Leavitt, 27, to wear in the White House briefing room.5

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks at a press briefing in the White House briefing room on February 25, 2025Credit: AP5

Karoline Leavitt with her husband Nicholas Riccio, both of whom designer Christopher Cuozzo has designed suits for, and their baby NikoCredit: Instagram/KarolineLeavitt5

Leavitt wearing a pink suit during a White House briefing on April 28, 2025Credit: Reuters
Cuozzo, a menswear designer who just recently started in womenswear, has made several suits for Leavitt and her 60-year-old husband, Nicholas Riccio.

The Boston-based business owner said he met Leavitt right after Thanksgiving, just weeks after President Donald Trump won the 2024 election.

Leavitt had already been picked for the press secretary role – making her the youngest to ever hold the position – and she knew she would need the garb for the job.

Cuozzo said that despite being under the pressure of daily life in the White House, Leavitt and Riccio met him with friendly attitudes as they decided what their custom pieces would look like.

“I did quite a few suits, actually, some for him, some for her,” Cuozzo told Business Insider.

“They were the nicest, nicest people. Then, when the suits were ready, I shipped them down to DC for them.

“They absolutely loved them, and both of them have been ordering more ever since.”

Cuozzo said the process is a creative one, as Leavitt sends him requests and ideas that he responds to with pictures and sketches.

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Leavitt is “not afraid of color,” which Cuozzo said inspired him to dream big with emerald green and bright red suits.

But color isn’t the only detail that Cuozzo takes into account: he said the custom suits sometimes include hidden messages at Leavitt’s request.

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“Typically, a suit or really any garment takes about four to six weeks,” he explained.

“Now, there’s all these things that go into it that could add a longer time.

“We do a lot of custom linings where we print the photos onto silk, and then that lining goes inside the suit, and that’s going to add approximately two weeks.”

Cuzzo revealed Leavitt included a patriotic secret lining on one of her custom-made suits.

Get to know Karoline Leavitt

Donald Trump’s press secretary is the youngest White House press secretary ever at 27.

Here are some fast facts about Karoline Leavitt:

She was raised Catholic in Atkinson, New Hampshire
She attended Saint Anselm College
She started her college’s first broadcasting club
She interned at Fox News during college
She worked as the assistant press secretary under Kayleigh McEnany
She won the Republican primary for the US House of Representatives in New Hampshire in 2022
She’s married to 59-year-old entrepreneur Nicholas Riccio
She gave birth to her first son, Niko, in July 2024
She went back to work for Trump days after giving birth
She had her mic cut off in a CNN interview in June 2024 after criticizing presidential debate moderators Dana Bash and Jake Tapper

“I’m going off memory here, but I’m pretty confident we did an American flag lining in one of her suits,” he said.

He added that because the linings aren’t visible in the briefings, “I’ve got to get her to flash that jacket open.”

Cuzzo continued to say Leavitt is classy, but focused on serious-looking suits as she briefs reporters from all over the world on Trump’s day-to-day business.