From Monse’s rebellious youths to Oscar de la Renta’s pulled-together ladies, designers Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia pulled off a complete 180. They mentioned their goal was to show how different the collections were yet how they can be in the same family, and it worked.
As loose and louche as Monse was, Oscar was structured, corseted and ultra refined. The pair must have looked to the archives to the hyper-feminine clothing the house namesake was known for when New York’s socialites and the world’s glitterati fell hard for his charm. Jacquard, silk, double-faced wool, shantung, sequins, cashmere were all worked into shapes and silhouettes that pulled from a more refined time.
But the colours and combinations were modern. Orange and baby pink. Emerald green and Yves Klein blue. Hot pink and cherry red. There was a fine balance, bringing the familiar up to par. Like a roomy black coat, perfectly tailored, over a graphic red and black pant. Or a drop-dead silver gray astrakhan over an orange turtleneck and skinny pink pants (a combination also done in red and orange to equally great effect).
It was fun. Cheerful. Happy. And pretty. Pretty is what Oscar’s women want, with a side of confidence. (Power is a prerequisite because you gotta have some kind of clout to pay retail for one a gown.) And new for fall was young. Oscar has always been a multi-generational brand in that mother’s pass down to their daughters the idea that “one day, you will wear Oscar.” That day being in the far future, potentially your wedding day. Now, girls can dream about those poppy pants and little knits. Totally attainable.
And the grande dames can dream again of waltzing into a black tie in ODLR. For the grander among them, the fur-skirted dresses. For the more subtle, the strapless velvet edged in silver beads. And for those not quite of age to be “grande”, some smoking and tuxedo looks.
By Nandini D’Souza Wolfe
From: Harper’s BAZAAR US
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