Once again the Upper East Side Third Church of Christ set the elevated stage for the unveiling of Oscar de la Renta’s timelessly elegant Spring 2009 collection. It was a perfect backdrop for his presentation; the grandeur of decadent surroundings tempered by a feeling of intimacy. With a couturier’s eye and hand for detail, Oscar de la Renta, a Fashion Week favorite, delivered 62 of the season’s most beautiful looks! Mr. de la Renta is one of the few designers who has managed to garner a legion of devotees across generations with his luxurious wears. Although, he doesn’t depend on a specific concept or theme to illustrate his polished perspective, what is undeniable is that his sophisticated sheaths appeal to women from 16 to 60.

This collection offered something for everyone and every occasion. While the presentation opened with an element often revisited—color-blocking—there was nothing pedestrian about Mr. de la Renta’s interpretation, which further exemplified that even in his careful hands, the simplest of patterns are instantly elevated and made to feel elegant. No one can deny the tailoring, the classic silhouette, but in part, what makes the eponymous line stand out from the rest, is Mr. de la Renta’s sophisticated palette of oyster, truffle, navy, avocado, and poppy. From against a black and white mural illustration of a playful dressing room, his models transversed the u-shaped runway first from stage right, then stage left to Gotye’s "Coming Back", delivering every woman’s dream wardrobe from maillots to evening gowns!

You've been gone much longer
Than you ever said you had the plan to
I'm just gonna wait 'till you come home

Though I count the days,
they're grey without you
The weather's much better
when I think about you
I'm just gonna wait till you come home

Empty glasses, burnt out matches
Curtains drawn on near-full blackness
I'm sleeping through the day
You're coming home
To reclaim this heart you owned

And while there was no delineated inspiration, subtle seascape motifs could be found adorning the accessories, as jewels and handbags were embellished with sea horses, coral reefs, starfish, and sea anemone. Layering remained a prominent direction this season, with varying lengths of necklaces, stacked brooches, baubles, and bracelets denoting a feeling of luxury. The shoes were often a strappy sandal in an embossed or cracked leather and exotic skin with a platform and stacked heel. This season, the master tailor accentuated the torso, defining and cinching the waist—with nearly every one of his five dozen looks featuring a patent belt or leather corset. Here, prints that may have felt commonplace or ubiquitous in other collections, such as an ikat or harlequin force us to take notice with a modern and nuanced approach.

As I feverishly made margin notes on design details, silhouette, color palette, hair, and make-up, I indicated my favorites with an asterisk. Alas, I had so many favorites amongst Mr. de la Renta’s designs that I was forced to assign double asterisks. My favorite looks this season included: the navy and white bolero layered over a navy tank paired with a white silk twill pant, white silk faille belt, white woven raffia and leather Holkar tote, and a white crackled leather sandal; the navy silk faille dress with asymmetric eyelet embroidery teamed with platinum alligator Bhangra clutch, natural straw, and a grey patent open-toe pump; a navy silk organza dress with white ikat embroidery and oyster satin with a brass Darjeeling clutch, and a black grosgrain sandal; the avocado cotton silk shantung dress with pink floral print silk faille coat, avocado silk faille belt, and a poppy grosgrain sandal; the poppy silk wool dress with white silk faille coat with a coral enamel and brass Darjeeling clutch and a poppy grosgrain sandal; and a black and white embroidered gown with lace bodice and organza appliqué with a black silk grosgrain sandal.

The genteel designer said that his collection was a celebration of women, making them fall in love with the dresses. Mr. de la Renta exalted, “Never in the history of the world has there been a time as exciting to be a woman as a woman  today!” How true that is. When you consider Mr. de la Renta’s legendary status, the designer who began his fashion education under the tutelage of Spain’s famed couturier Cristobal Balenciaga before moving on to Lanvin and making history at Balmain as the first American to design for a French couture house. He has been dressing our mothers and theirs before them for half a century, taking us from women’s rights to their upward trajectory in business, breaking through social barriers and glass ceilings to an election year with female presidential and vice-presidential candidates, and today Oscar de la Renta remains just as relevant, just as exciting, and just as exquisite! The 2007 CFDA Womenswear Designer Award Winner has been making women feel beautiful and fall in love with his fashions for generations and if his latest collection is any indication, he will continue to do so for decades to come! 

For additional information, please visit http://www.oscardelarenta.com/

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