I sadly never got a chance to meet Oscar de la Renta. Or own one of his dresses. Not that I didn’t dream about it. In fact, a photo of a braided, v-neck red one resides on the vision board that sits in my closet. It’s a dress that screams “woman”. Strong, and sexy without being blatant, elegant without being boring, it is feminine power at its best. Which is probably one of the many reasons why he is so missed. Well, that, and the fact that he was a designer who truly seemed to love women. You just know the man knew how to make you look good on the dance floor.
His gowns, worn by first ladies such as Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush, movie stars and society mavens, are currently on display at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. The show, aptly titled “Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective“, was curated by André Leon Talley, a long time editor-at-large for Vogue magazine and a true fashionista. Spanning the years 1963 – 2015, the outfits are organized by theme, and show the full range of this highly influential american designer.
Even if you don’t follow fashion, Oscar de la Renta’s dresses are truly wearable art. So, if you’re going to be anywhere near the bay area between now and May 30, plan to visit the de Young. The show is definitely worth a visit.
