MICHELLE OBAMA & HER MOTHER MARIAN ROBINSON ON THE COVER OF ESSENCE MAGAZINE

Essence Magazine has beautiful First Lady Michelle Obama and her mother, Darian Robinson, on the cover of their May issue. The issue celebrates Mother's day and the style of these two inspirational women. This is so wonderful.

With little time to spare, ESSENCE staffers prepared for the exclusive photo shoot with the First Lady and Mrs. Robinson.

After a bit of supportive teasing, both mother and daughter warm up to the cameras for the exclusive photo shoot.

Essence magazine's exclusive interview with Michelle Obama and her mother, Marian Robinson, isn't the only coup displayed on its May cover.

Talbots, the 62-year-old brand that's trying to shake its matronly image, gets the best publicity its yearlong makeover could land: The first lady wears its $169 graphic rose-print sleeveless dress, reminiscent of a "Mad Men" episode, topped by a cardigan and belt, and worn with Lanvin ballet flats, in the accompanying photos.

A new team, including the former Ann Taylor designer Michael Smaldone, has been restyling the Talbots brand, still oriented to women age 40 to 75, but with a sweet spot in the early 40s.

"When I felt that our clothing looked up to par," Talbots spokeswoman Meredith Paley said, "I sent a package of catalogs to Ikram [Goldman]."

The Chicago boutique owner, famously discreet about her role in the first lady's wardrobe, requested a few spring dresses, said Paley, who learned that one had been chosen for Essence when she passed a New York newsstand Sunday.

"We're an American brand and Michelle embodies the American woman," Paley said. "It's an American dream."

In the magazine story, pegged to Mother's Day, Robinson talks about her role in helping her daughter, and now granddaughters, fulfill their dreams.

"The main thing that I think needs to be taught to children is the ability to think and make decisions. You don't have to have a lot of information, but you have to know how to get through the process. If you make mistakes you don't [just] decide 'I will never do that again.' " [CHICAGO TRIBUNE]