Remember the lemongrass colored coat and matching shift dress First Lady Michelle Obama wore on Inauguration Day?  If you've paid any attention to the latest fashion news, then you most likely do.  Cuban-born designer Isabel Toledo shot to fame after Michelle Obama appeared in the bright-patterned outfit.

The ensemble,which became a part of presidential and fashion history earlier this year, will be on public display for the first time today in the Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology.  MyItThings.com's Yuli and I had the chance to speak with her at the press preview for the exhibit.

"That was a big moment," Toledo said as she recalls finding out that the First Lady chose to wear her creation on the historic day.

"All of a sudden, I was recognized on the street," she said.

Although she wasn't well-known to the general public before, Toledo has been making clothes for many years.  The display, called "Isabel Toledo: Fashion from the Inside Out," explores Toledo's career from the mid-80s to today.  The exhibit will include the Inauguration Day outfit along with 70 other looks including her highly praised 2007-2008 collection she made as creative director of Anne Klein.

Toledo is known for her intricate techniques, construction, and blending traditional custom-made haute couture with ready-to-wear accessibility, but will this "demi-couture" designer collaborate with a brand such as Target and reach a much larger audience?  When asked, Toledo said if the company called her, she would be open to the idea.

Toledo describes herself as very independent, which is evident because in a world where an online presence for a business is vital, Toledo actually doesn't have a website.  However, she said that the online media has helped expose her work to many people.

"It gave me life in a different way," said Toledo.

But when asked if she would ever create a website, she said not yet.

"We're very old-fashioned," she said.

Either way, what she is doing seems to be working well for the designer and her husband and fashion partner, Ruben Toledo.

It was a pleasure meeting the designer, who was very friendly and excited about her work at the preview.  Having the opportunity to see Toledo's work up-close was also amazing.  The details and structure of her designs are something you have to see in person.

The exhibit is on view and open to the public from June 17 to September 26 in the Museum at FIT in New York City.