Oscar de la Renta was a man of style, class and vision. The celebrities he designed for said that without a doubt, he loved women and loved designing for women. He captured what we all want to wear – a lucky few actually get to wear it – using fabulous colors, bold details and styles that seemed to illuminate the wearer. A red carpet was not really a red carpet without the look of Oscar de la Renta on some of the A-listers.
There’s so much to be amazed by Mr. de la Renta but what really strikes me is how he stayed in touch, on the cusp and in the know with fashion. He is known for designing for First Ladies, from Jackie O
. to Michelle O., from grand dames to granddaughters, pastel pantsuits to bold and luscious gowns.
As much as we loved his clothing designs, we also adored his home line. The man knew how to elegantly style a table, a room and a house. What might be kitschy – a dip dyed fish water jug – was transformed to stylish must have. He was not shy about combining colors and patterns, classic with modern.
Born in the Dominican Republic, Mr. de la Renta left the Dominican Republic to study painting at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid. He studied at fashion houses in Europe, worked at Elizabeth Arden and started his own line in the late 60s. While the rest of the world seemed to drop out and embrace the hippie non-fashion, his fashion empire blossomed. On his way to infamity, he became the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, was the first American fashion designer to show at Paris Fashion Week, dressed stars and starlets… oh, and in the early 80s, redesigned the Boy Scout uniform. A little something for everyone.
Look at this table – who wouldn’t want to dine here, regaled by stories.
As we traipse around High Point, finding the next fashion trend, the must haves, the stylishly fun, we pause to remember a great man who influenced the world of fashion.