Michelle Obama Chinese State Dinner Dress: Stunning Black Mermaid Gown Designed By Vera Wang

Michelle Obama rarely disappoints when it comes to the realm of fashion, and that was certainly the case Friday evening when she donned a stunning black Vera Wang gown for a state dinner at the White House, where the first couple hosted China's President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan.

The gown, an off-the-shoulder mermaid design, swept the floor with its tulle flair at the bottom. With her hair swept to the side and loosely curled, the U.S. first lady dazzled in the long, fitted dress. She posted the first peek of the gown to her Twitter account -- a photo of her posed in front of a room elaborately decorated for the dinner.

Wang, a Chinese-American designer, is best known for her wedding dresses, but she also creates elegant red-carpet designs. She released a new line at New York Fashion Week last week that featured black pleated skirts and glittery evening gowns.

The first lady has made headlines before in Wang's designs. She made many best-dressed lists for an electric-blue gown from the designer that she wore to the Kennedy Center Honors in 2011.

Obama received rave reviews earlier in the week for her fashion sense. To greet Pope Francis, she wore an elegant Carolina Herrera cowl-neck dress with a matching belt in Washington during the pope's first visit to the United States.

Friday's state dinner was for Xi's first visit to the United States since he took office.

China's first lady, meanwhile, chose a beaded, silk gown with three-quarter length sleeves. Before she became the first lady, she was already famous in her own right for her glamor and singing career. The designer of her gown Friday was not immediately released.