Michelle Obama walks off of the stage after speaking during the Smithsonian's Cooper Hewitt National Design Awards luncheon Photo: AP

"Good design is good citizenship," Mrs. Obama said, quoting the graphic designer Milton Glaser. She said that is because good design makes life better for everyone.

The first lady hosted a luncheon for winners of the 2011 National Design Awards, which are presented by the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City. The first lady also invited 15 high school students to join leading names from the worlds of fashion, interactive computer design and other fields in hopes of inspiring them to follow suit.

"These men and women have breathed new life into our homes and our workplaces, the clothes we wear, the products we use every day, and even the most basic ways we process information," Mrs. Obama said.

This year's design award winners include Matthew Carter of Boston for his lifetime achievements in typeface designs that included creating the fonts Verdana and Georgia for Microsoft and others for major newspapers and magazines.

The Boston-based design consultancy Continuum won for product designs that include Reebok's popular Pump shoes from the 1990s and Swiffer for its floor sweepers, showing not every product of design is high and mighty.

The museum honoured J. Mendel for exceptional work in fashion. The Mendel brand has spanned five generations, first as a luxury fur company and more recently becoming a full fashion house with a ready-to-wear collection in 2002 under Gilles Mendel. He was seated at Mrs. Obama's table for lunch, along with Carter.

Designers Jason Wu and Prabal Gurung were finalists in the fashion category. Both have designed dresses for the first lady, and Wu designed her inaugural gown.

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