A Tribute to Oscar de la Renta
This week there have been many tributes to couturier Oscar
de la Renta, who died Oct.20, at the age of 82, and I would be remiss if I didn’t join the accolades.
There have been many fashion designers who have established
their place in fashion history: Fortuny, Dior, Channel, Schiparelli. One must include in this pantheon Oscar de la Renta.
Born July, 22, 1932 in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic,
Oscar de la Renta began his career in Spain where he studied painting. For added income, he drew sketches of
fashion clothing for newspapers and magazines and after one of his sketches was
featured on the cover of Life magazine, he turned to design, apprenticing with
the famous House of Balenciaga. He then
worked for design houses in Europe and New York.
He was the winner of
many awards, including the coveted Coty Award and was inducted into the Coty
Hall of Fame in 1973.
While he was best known as “designer to the rich and famous”
creating fabulous gowns for such clients as Jackie O and wives of American presidents
( his last creation was worn as a wedding dress by Amal Alamuddin) he also
designed clothing appropriate for a business meeting or luncheon date. He diversified his business into fragrance
(”Oscar”), and a line of accessories and housewares. His moderately priced ready-to-wear clothing is available at his
retail stores and other retail outlets such as Neiman Marcus and online.
He once said “ fashion is a trend, style is within a
person”. That is the genius of the
great designers, that their creations are timeless and wearing their designs
make their clients feel confident and beautiful inside and out.
This week is also Halloween. “Listen to them- the children of the night. What music they make.” Dracula, by Bram Stoker, 1897
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