Oscar de la Renta 1932-2014

Oscar de la Renta passed away yesterday at his home in Kent, Connecticut.  He was 82 years old.

I think there is no doubt that Mr. de la Renta's legacy will be his gorgeous and lush cocktail and evening dresses.  They were not complicated or intellectually challenging but designed to make a woman look and feel her best.  And what woman/girl does not feel lovely in silk faille and gowns richly embellished with beading, feathers... They were always feminine and flattering and perhaps safe - which is certainly one of the reasons he dressed four first ladies - and just this month, Mrs. Obama wore Oscar for the first time.

This is one of my favorite photos from Vogue that is really a summation of Oscar de la Renta's world: it was photographed at his home in Kent in his famously beautiful garden, with his step-daughter Eliza Reed Bolen and two other young society women, Marina Rust and Aerin Lauder.  Mikhail Baryshnikov dives into the pool.  The ladies are in gowns and while Mr de la Renta may have dressed their mothers, he stayed relevant for their daughter and granddaughters too. 

My daughter the morning of  her 2013 4th grade graduation wearing Oscar de la Renta and a fascinator her Spansih teacher made.  I think Oscar would have approved...

xo, Juliana

RARE vintage is in the Dominican Republic with Diana Vreeland and Oscar de la Renta

I have pulled this story from Oscar PR girls blog because I felt it was just too fabulous not to share and very apropos as there is yet another book out on Mrs Vreeland.

There are no photos but I am sure you will be able to picture it to a DV!

From Oscar PR Girl:

MRS. VREELAND
told by Oscar de la Renta

"This is a very funny story.  Diana use to come and stay with us in the Dominican Republic at Casa del Campo all of the time.  There was literally nothing to do in La Romana in those days, except of course go to the beach in the morning and play cards or something at the house.  

Every single afternoon, Diana would go to the pharmacy.  And there is a wonderful story about this particular pharmacy.  In the Dominican Republic, if they know you at the pharmacy, you can literally buy anything you want without a prescription.  At this pharmacy, you could buy all of the American products plus all of the European products that you could not buy in United States.  At the time there was a Romanian lady who was doing some kind of cream Diana liked.  Anyway, every day she would go.  

So one day the owner of the pharmacy comes to me and says that every day there are more and more people in the store.  And further, he said he did not think they were coming to buy anything, that they were there because they had heard about this unbelievable, extraordinary apparition of a lady who visits the store.  And you know, at that time, especially in the Dominican Republic, Mrs. Vreeland was always dressed in turbans and caftans, with extraordinary makeup.  

So one day Diana comes to me and says that she has to leave the next morning.  I asked her why she could not stay a few more days.  We thought that she didn't know what was happening at the pharmacy, but she said, 'you know, these people every single day expect more and more and more and more!  And now, I have run out of outfits.  Unless you have a camel or an elephant for me to arrive at the pharmacy, I have to leave.'  And do you know what that pharmacy is called today?  It is called the Farmacia Diana."

Diana Vreeland by Richard Avedon

The Twain Shall Meet: John Galliano and Oscar de la Renta. NYFW Fall 2013

It may have seemed like an impossible conversation two years ago, but when Oscar de la Renta generously offered studio space to John Galliano a few weeks ago, we all waited with quiet excitement to see what kind of conversation the two designers would have.

Oscar, the American designer, of the classically sheathed UES girl and John, the English born designer, of the impossibly romantic girl.

I think it was a beautiful conversation...

RARE vintage for Resort: Softer Side of Oscar de la Renta

Bohemian 1970s Oscar de la Renta cream silk peasant blouse and skirt with embroidered blossoms.

FIT's Couture Council Lunch Honoring Oscar de la Renta

In 2006 the Couture Council of FIT honored the American designer Ralph Rucci (a favorite of FIT) with an Artistry of Fashion Award and started what has become an annual tradition and marks the start of New York fall fashion week.  Alber Elbaz, Dries van Noten, Karl Lagerfeld and Valentino have all been honored at this annual lunch.  You can see my photos from last year's Valentino lunch here.

So this year's "Université of Fabulosité" Award goes to Oscar de la Renta.  Master of the big, beautiful ball gown. King of a land called Pretty.  Emperor of an elegant and romantic world where all the girls are princesses.

1970s gypsy inspired Oscar de la Renta ensemble.
Gift of Penelope Tree.  Collection Museum at FIT.

1970s silk gazar Oscar de la Renta available now at RARE vintage:

and Once Upon a Time, in a tiny kingdom in the center of New York... a look back at some other great Oscars we have had at RARE vintage...

1965 Oscar de la Renta for Jane Derby:

1969 Oscar de la Renta photographed in Bazaar:

and at RARE vintage:

I loved this oh so pretty 1980s cocktail dress in heavy black lace and pink silk gazer:

and this was another favorite which I wish had kept but sadly sold...

Oscar de la Renta for Pierre Balmain haute couture.  Look at the belt the leopard print silk chiffon dress came with.  A work of haute couture art.

just a few of my favorite things!

Sunday Style: PLAY Converse Lo-Top by Comme des Garcons

Because woman can not live by vintage alone... or in heels 24/7... or in Ugg slippers ; )

It is usually a shoe like this I fall head over heels in love with:

Oscar de la Renta Spring 2012

But today is Sunday.  A day for catching up on reading - the pressure is on!  February magazines are about to come out and I am still on January.  Doing a little hand wash, thinking about the Golden Globes - I can't ignore it any longer: Awards Season is here!  So that means thinking about dresses and I always feel like we either have too many evening dresses at RARE vintage - or not enough...  And walking my big behind over to Organic Avenue because all of New York seems to be doing a post holiday January cleanse - and my behind does feel rather large...

So since I won't be walking over to Organic Avenue in Oscar's gorgeous-gotta-have-em spectator pumps in pink leather and PVC, I will wear my Comme des Garcons Converse sneakers.  Which I love and are a really fun update of a vintage classic!  (and just $100!)

#FF@RareVintageNYC

I've wanted to start a new section on our RARE vintage blog for awhile: my #FFs - but instead of meaning Follow Friday, it will mean my Friday Favorites.  There is a lot that I will be posting on our new column but I thought I would start with the fabulous and fabulously talented Stella Lee who is one of @RareVintageNYC 's favorite stylists.

Stella Lee recently styled a story for Fashion Gone Rogue and the wardrobe came exclusively from yours truly: RARE vintage.  As gorgeous as our Schleppi mannequin is, it is a real treat to see our vintage on a real live model styled brilliantly by Stella Lee and photographed by Angelo d'Agostino.

Thank you Stella!!

#FF @RareVintageNYC:

Marc Bohan for Christian Dior

Pierre Cardin Couture suit with leather detail

Galanos crepe and lace black gown

John Galliano polka dotted pajama Le Smoking ensemble

Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis beaded ensemble

Oscar de la Renta silk dress

You can see the entire story here.  More #FF RareVintageNYC next Friday!!

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The Mughal: Kenneth Jay Lane

Pauline de Rothschild dedicated her book, The Irrational Journey, to her friend Diana Vreeland.  The dedication said, "You held two keys, discipline and wisdom.  They gave you a vision.  Of the real, of the unreal, of the unreality waiting somewhere in the wings to be made real."

Vogue in the 1960s under Diana Vreeland was a place of dreams: real and imagined.  That is the fun of fashion; you can slip on a pale beige mink, wear beige knickers by Donald Brooks, brocaded sashes by Calderon and a Dynel hairpiece and suddenly you are on Diana Vreeland's high speed train from Kyoto to Tokyo looking like the beautiful Versuhka with a cup of green tea.

This early Kenneth Jay Lane Mughal style bracelet from the 1960s in an apricot enamel with green stones could have been sprung from the imagination of Diana Vreeland.  

Why don't you wear it with...

an apricot colored caftan from Oscar de la Renta from the 1990s (or something similar as this piece has already sold.)

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Summer of 1965: Oscar de la Renta for Jane Derby

Oscar de la Renta had apprenticed with the great Cristobal Balenciaga and  designed for Elizabeth Arden before partnering with Jane Derby in 1965.  Jane Derby was seventy years old, recently remarried and hoping to enjoy more time at her house in Bermuda when she died suddenly leaving Oscar de la Renta to take over the label.  He used the label: Oscar de la Renta for Jane Derby for one year before switching to his name alone and the rest is extravagant eveningwear history.

I adore these silk dresses from the 1960s that look so great with a flat gilded or jeweled sandal or a high heel.  They are fitted and small in the bodice with a tiny bit of stiffness and have a slightly A lined skirt.  They feel like summer in someplace wonderful like Capri, Antibes or Patmos.  He dressed society girls from the very beginning, Minnie Cushing being one of the first to be seen out and about in Oscar de la Renta for Jane Derby.

Minnie Cushing.  Vogue 1966.

Enjoy the photos of these exceptional, rare and early Oscar de la Renta for Jane Derby dresses which are putting me in the mood for a Pimms...

Bejeweled, bedecked and beautiful in 1965/1966 Oscar de Renta for Jane Derby aqua silk cocktail dress with beading in shades of pink, blue and pale green.  Please note that the color of the dress is a gorgeous aqua closest to the detail photo.

All that shimmers is Oscar:

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The Grrrrr in Couture

All of that leopard at Giambattista Valli's couture show had me seeing spots.  At RARE vintage.  And it had me seeing spotted haute couture.  At RARE vintage.  You see, you don't need to go to Paris to get yourself some French haute couture.  You just need to go to RARE vintage on 57th Street in New York.  It's that easy!

I think Rachel Zoe said it best:

"I die!"

"That's bananas!"

"I am coming undone"

"Just throw me in a coffin now with those earrings (or this gown)"

I came completely undone when I saw this lust worthy Pierre Balmain haute couture animal printed silk chiffon gown from the 1990s by Oscar de la Renta.  

And then when I was shown the belt, I was like this is totally bananas!

1990s Pierre Balmain haute couture leopard printed silk gown.  Size 4/small 6

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American Woman: Oscar de la Renta

Our American Woman week continues with a 1970s black velvet peasant de luxe dress from Oscar de la Renta.  I love early Oscar.  I was super excited to have found a very beautiful 1969 demi haute couture cocktail dress from Oscar de la Renta awhile back which had been photographed for Harper's Bazaar in 1969.  

The dress in a lustrous black velvet has a fitted bodice.  The full skirt of the dress is in three tiers and epitomizes Oscar de la Renta's romantic and feminine style.

The ballon sleeves are gently poufed and gathered with a tassel.

So get your haute hippie on with velvet Oscar!

1970s black velvet Oscar de la Renta Peasant Dress.  Size 4

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Une Passion Marocaine: The Caftan

"Une Passion Marocaine" was the name of a show at the Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent in 2008 that celebrated the history of the caftan. 

The exotic home of Saint Laurent and Bergé in Morocco was a source of inspiration for his fashion and a place of peace for Yves Saint Laurent.  And it is an endless source of inspiration for fashion designers ever since.  Everyone wants to capture a bit of that Yves or Talitha in Marrakesch or Lee Radziwill in her exotic Mongiardino apartment.

In the tradition of the luxe bohemian look is this apricot colored Oscar de la Renta caftan.

(sorry this first photo is a little blurry and the color is stronger then the true apricot color)

 late 1970s Oscar de la Renta apricot colored caftan.  Size 6.

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