When a legend passes away, they seldom leave without making an impression on the world that they leave behind. Despite Oscar de la Renta’s passing last fall, no one will ever forget how beautiful he made women feel, and his memory lives on through his designs today. One of the last collections that he designed, the spring 2015 ready-to-wear collection was enchantment in its purest sense. The venue itself was blooming with beauty; the wall leading to the runway was adorned with a garden of violet, lilac, cream and pale pink flowers, and when paired with the artistry of the garments that graced the models, the runway became a surreal wonderland.
I always adored de la Renta’s designs because he never designed clothing for the purpose of being trendy or seasonal, he designed clothing to create beauty for the beautiful women who would wear it. True to this idea, the collection had everything that could exist in a beautiful fairy tale. There was a powder blue coat with intricate flowers stemming throughout the fabric. There was a crisp, white mullet dress with three dimensional light sage leaves and an occasional pop of a daisy here and there resting gracefully on the fabric. There was an enviable scalloped skirt with intricate eyelets that were oriented into floral shapes and sprinkled around the bottom. Whether you have a favorite look or can’t seem to pick one, there is no denying that this collection is timeless.
Seeing this beautiful collection inspired me to try out a similar look that could easily be accessed from a college student’s budget. I chose to wear a light gray, sleeveless dress with a cream lace overlay. I thought that the fabric had delicate aesthetics that resembled some of the lace-enhanced pieces from de la Renta’s collection. Additionally, I noticed that the models’ shoes resembled the clothing that they were wearing, so I did my best to match my heels to my dress, too.
When everything is said and done, we can acknowledge that while trends may come and go, elegance will always be in style. In making his wonderful dreams come true, de la Renta brought ethereal fantasies to life and touched a nerve in us all. Like our most treasured dreams, the beautiful life and craft of Oscar de la Renta will never fade away.
Get My Look: 1. An A-line, lace dress. 2. A coordinating sandal heel. 3. A muted pink lip.
