Simon Doonan Measuring the White House Drapes?

Every election year, the cliche that somebody should or should not begin measuring the White House drapes gets trotted out. But eight months in to their new life at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., it looks like the Obamas may finally have brought in some help for the job, in the form of fashion personality and Barney's New York creative director/window dresser extraordinaire Simon Doonan. You may recognize Doonan from his appearances on America's Next Top Model and VH1's I Love the ____ shows.

During a White House tour on Wednesday, DCist spotted Doonan taking notes with some staffers in the White House's East Room and State Dining Room. Several tour-goers said they heard him talking about the drapes (or curtains).

A Secret Service agent told us the East Room's thick gold-colored drapes were from the 1950s, though Wikipedia says "Mrs. Bush," who knows which one, had them replaced with fabric matching a design chosen by the Kennedys. The State Dining Room has Colonial Revival-style floral drapes added by the Clintons.