First Lady Laura Bush talks with members of the press during her tour of the Ballenciaga Exhibit at the Meadows Museum on May 26. She lent her 2005 inaugural gown to the exhibition. (Sommer Saadi)

Dressed in purple and donning the legendary red hats, the “Jubilant Reds” chapter of the Red Hat Society strolled through the Balenciaga exhibit at the Meadows Museum on Saturday, May 26.

The chapter members admired the elegant dresses and intricately designed accessories. They enjoyed the gallery of magazine covers and photos featuring Balenciaga’s creations.

And they even took a photo of their own­ with first lady Laura Bush.

“It was my turn to choose where we would go this month and I picked the Balenciaga exhibit. It was just a coincidence that we got to meet Mrs. Bush,” chapter member Kathy Roberts said. “She was very gracious.”

The first lady visited the campus Saturday afternoon to tour the exhibit of dresses that included the blue tulle gown by Oscar de la Renta that she wore to the 55th Presidential Inaugural Ball in January 2005.

“I’m so excited to have this chance to see the Balenciaga show,” Mrs. Bush said. “A lot of the women who either gave or loaned these dresses to the show are associated with Texas in some way. My dress that I loaned was my inaugural gown that Oscar de la Renta did, and Balenciaga was a huge inspiration to Oscar de la Renta.”

The museum remained open to the public during the first lady’s visit.

Myra Walker, the guest curator of the show and director of the Texas Fashion Collection, led the first lady and a group of 12, including SMU President R. Gerald Turner, on the tour.

As guests enter the exhibit, the crystal-sequenced dress and ice blue, full-length satin coat designed exclusively for Mrs. Bush is one of the first seen. The ensemble was arranged with the other dresses in the way that suited the plans, according to Walker, and the best place for Mrs. Bush’s dress was in a prominent position.

“We never anticipated that the first lady would visit the exhibition [during its installation] but we were thrilled that she came,” Walker said.

“Balenciaga and His Legacy: Haute Couture from the Texas Fashion Collection,” is the first U.S. exhibition in more than 20 years to showcase the work of designer Cristobal Balenciaga. The exhibit is shown exclusively at the Meadows Museum until June 17.