Oscar de la Renta hasn't let the Great Recession get him down. His outlook and his collections have remained as vibrant as ever, but his latest effort was his most gilded and audacious in a while (intriguingly, not unlike that of his compatriot in style Carolina Herrera). Channeling the eighties with big, feathered 'dos and glossy makeup, his models wore day looks in lush fabrics and bold colors, like a cinnamon alpaca coat with an orchid alpaca collar or a pumpkin floral long-sleeve silk mikado dress. And how's this for rich: a silk-faille dress and jacket, a cashmere scarf twisted around the model's head, and an umbrella, all rendered in digital astrakhan print? De la Renta hardly skimped on embroideries, either, decorating the hems of long, straight skirts with tilelike mosaics of fabric above a ring of nutria fur. The ladies of Park Avenue will be mighty pleased indeed.
Evening, interestingly, was a slightly more nuanced affair, and it skewed younger, too, targeting a Hollywood set. Jessica Biel and her stylist sat front and center. There was a subtle knee-length stunner in beaded lace jacquard and a black double-faced coat embroidered in a similar Art Deco style, as well as a rather cool-looking matador's organza blouse and high-waisted black pants with fans embroidered down the sides. But de la Renta focused most of his after-dark efforts on glamour gowns. The highlights of the bunch were a silvery cowl-neck column with a lamé skirt and a dove-gray organza long-sleeve style with touches here and there of glittery beads and scads of fluttering ruffles at the hem. A black faille number bustled in the back was made for grand exits. Oscar knows his woman doesn't want to fade into the woodwork; with this confident collection, there's no chance of that.
