Fashion 101: Oscar de la Renta

There are so many great fashion designers in this world that have changed society in pivotal ways. It's hard when you sit down to decide who the very top houses are...but I don't feel that is so much necessary as knowing who the fashion royalty are in general. Valentino, Dior, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, and of course Oscar de la Renta. Of course this list could be much longer, this is just me rambling off the top designers that are on my top of mind recall. I always love learning of how these great visionaries got their start, and I am always interested to learn how intertwined this industry is.

{Merci fashionista.com}

Oscar de la Renta was born in 1932 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. At 18, he moved to Madrid, Spain to study painting and quickly became enveloped by the world of fashion. He began sketching for top Spanish fashion houses until he landed a prominent apprenticeship for the couturier Balenciaga, not a bad start. From there he moved to Paris and began work at Lanvin as a couture assistant.

Working for incredible talents like Balenciaga and Antonio Castillo [Lanvin], I learned about the immense skills and creativity involved in couture work. Today, I apply some of that same detailing and artistry in some of my own designs. 

 In 1963, Oscar notices the future of fashion shifting to ready to wear and moves to New York to trail-blaze the path. Upon taking the advice of Vogue Editor in Chief Diana Vreeland, Oscar designs custom clothing for the Elizabeth Arden label where she will help promote his name and work that will advance his future line. Two years later, with grown public recognition, the house of Oscar de la Renta is launched.

I have always felt my role as a designer is to do the very best I can for a woman to make her look her best. Fashion is only fashion once a woman puts it on.

{merci ShinyStyleTV}

Being honored for his talent is no new territory for Oscar, as he has won many awards over the years for his excellence in design.  Oscar also served as President for the Council of Fashion Designers of America from 1973-1976 and made one big change that you may all be interested in, Oscar added the CFDA Awards! This allowed the fashion industry to award their own for a job well done, rather than going to an outside sponsor. Oscar has been awarded:

Coty Awards

1967 Fashion Critic's Award

1968 Fashion Critic's Award

1973 Coty Hall of Fame

CFDA Awards

1990 CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award 

2000 Designer of the Year 

2007 Designer of the Year 

Before expanding into his diverse and fabulous accessory lines, Oscar makes a detour from 1993-2002 to be head couturier of Balmain...the first American to do so for a French house! Oscar is able to turn Balmain, a failing line that had not sold a dress in two years, into a leading house for dress sales in France.

{merci brides.com}

Oscar de la Renta is equal parts designer and business man which is apparent when you see the deep footprint he has firmly planted on the fashion world. I always look forward to his new collection each season, as it prances down the runways full of color, life, and lots of embellishment!

{Merci The Fashion Mag Pie}

{dates and info thanks to Wikipedia and Oscar de la Renta website}


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Les Allures de Chanel: 2011 Chanel Couture 2011

Sorry for the small absence mes cheris, life has been more than hectic lately and I'm just praying for a regular schedule again soon. But thank you for remaining faithful while I wind this crazy road called life!
Karl Lagerfeld just wrapped the 2011 Chanel Couture show: Les Allures de Chanel and alluring it was! Drawing inspiration from film noire and mapping through the life of Coco Chanel herself, Lagerfeld created a beautiful collection.

{merci style.com}

 Keeping with the traditional tweed suits but playing with proportion, 

many looks showcased a peplum skirt or some form of attention to the hips. 

 I really liked the throwback dresses that referenced the 1920's 

which also held a resounding theme in this collection. 

Karl Lagerfeld certainly displayed another creative collection of the Chanel tweed suits, and even though I'm one for change, I can appreciate the reworking of a fashion staple. The 2011 Chanel Couture show was magical don't you think?

Fashion 101: Yves Saint Laurent

It has been a while since my blog has mentioned anything about France now that I live in New York City. So for this lesson of Fashion 101 I wanted to feature a true legend to the fashion world, and France's own, Yves Saint Laurent.

As I just visited the Alexander McQueen Exhibition: Savage Beauty at The Met (don't worry that post is coming...and YES it was amazing), I was reminded of an equally great exhibit I had the honor of visiting last summer in Paris. That's right, I had so many posts and photos going up in the summer of 2010 that somewhere amongst the chaos of my cross-Atlantic move, I had a tiny little gold mine of snapshots that got lost in the recesses of my external drive! So here's to another great Fashion 101!

Yves Saint Laurent at the Petit Palais 

along the Seine River...my heart just melts as I think of it. 

**Please note: not all of these photos are the best, I was shooting from the hip...literally... as I was trying to discreetly capture the ambience of the exhibition for you guys without getting caught.**

At 17, Yves Saint Laurent started his career as an assistant to Christian Dior in 1953. Dior gradually accepted more and more of his sketch submissions and named him his successor to the House of Dior. In the Fall of 1957 Dior died unexpectedly of a heart attack and suddenly at 21 Yves Saint Laurent was to direct his first runway line. 

Here are the stats that any true fashionista should know about YSL:

1. Fused Art and Culture with Fashion

In his premier line for the Christian Dior label, he set the world on fire by creating Dior's signature "New Look" with trapeze dresses. 

 {merci Girl's Guide to Paris}

His life was all about art and culture and it was constantly cognisant in his collections. Including his famous YSL color block dress inspired by the well known Mondrian painting, and was just one of many art reinterpretations over the course of his fashion career. His influence was often found outside of Europe as well, and he is credited as the first designer to send ethnic models down his runway, including longtime muse, supermodel Iman.

{merci fashion freax}

2. Founded Ready to Wear

As many designers in the mid sixties meddled with a few pret-a-porter pieces, Yves Saint Laurent was the first to launch a full ready to wear collection in the Fall of 1966. In addition that Fall, he opened the first of his ready to wear stores which he called his Rive Gauche stores, in Paris. Catherine Deneuve was his first customer. 

Fashion fades, style is eternal ~Yves Saint Laurent

3. Uncovered the lost art of Couture

The sixties and seventies were a time where the golden age of decadent couture had long been forgotten, ahem... polyester suits. But as a couturier himself, Yves Saint Laurent's creations brought back haute couture into the spotlight it deserved. 

Haute couture consists of secrets whispered from generation to generation...If in ready to wear, a garment is manufactured according to standard sizes, the haute couture garmet adapts to any imperfection in order to eliminate it. ~Yves Saint Laurent

4. The women's tuxedo suit

YSL's partner and longtime companion Pierre Berge once said, "We often say Chanel has liberated the woman, which is true, but we can also say that YSL gave them the power." No truer words could be spoken. Yves Saint Laurent's designs were specific to empower the woman and pull out her beauty at the same time. In his Fall 1965 collection, YSL introduced Le Smoking, his women's tuxedo pantsuit that changed to female corporate look forever. YSL is also credited with other trends such as safari jackets, thigh high boots, and his coined beatnik look.

{merci wikipedia}

Yves Saint Laurent was a vital piece of the ever evolving landscape of fashion, and experiencing this exhibit was truly breath taking. In the Centre Pompidou on January 22, 2002 YSL showed his last collection before retiring, showcasing 30 new looks and a collection of 300 models emphasizing the highlights over his career. He died of brain cancer on June 1, 2008 in his Paris residence.

I want to thank all the women who have worn my clothes, the famous and the unknown, who have been so faithful to me and given me so much joy. ~Yves Saint Laurent

 {merci yoox.com}

 Thank you Wikipedia and the Petit Palais for your wisdom.

Alexander McQueen | Continuing on the Legend

Alexander McQueen was a rare fashion innovator of our generation. A true legend whose far to early departure left a permanent hole in the fashion industry. As much as I love fashion, it has become an overpopulated industry of copycats. Everyone thinks they can be a fashion designer...and maybe many can, but not everyone can be a fashion visionary...and that is what it takes to run your own label and transform it into a fashion house.

Alexander McQueen was a rare exception. In an age of dying fashion legends, one seemed to have reincarnated in the youthful fearlessness of a spunky Brit. Every season without fail His became the show to anticipate. With never tiring creativity, McQueen's clothes were not the only art on his catwalks by far. He was a rare designer who understood the art of entertaining and married that to his show concepts.

Sarah Burton has taken on the ever impossible task of steering the helm after McQueen's death. And contrary to popular belief (even Women's Wear Daily loves her) I have to say...I'm not impressed. Allow me to explain.

{merci StyleFrizz}

Sarah Burton has created some beautiful pieces, not a lot of color even though the McQueen line was fabulous with that, nonetheless, here are some jewels from Paris Fashion Week Fall 2011:

Photos compliments of WWD.com

But note the following creations...haven't we seen them before?

Oh, riiiight...they are almost identical to Alexander McQueen's former Fall and Spring lines leading up to his untimely bow out.

Sarah Burton - Fall 2011

This photo is thanks to Style.com

McQueen - Spring 2010

This futuristic vision for the line lent to a lot of fitted "body armor" type suits.

Sarah Burton - Fall 2011

McQueen - Fall 2010

This almost nod to Chinese motif was prevalent on many pieces in this collection.

Sarah Burton - Fall 2011

McQueen Fall 2010

And the dropped waist with the exaggerated gather was also a key icon for this collection.

There is a not so fine line between honoring a vision and mimicking past styles, and unfortunately I can't say much for what I believe Sarah Burton is doing. The thing Alexander McQueen was revered for besides his dynamic vision was his constant gear in a new direction. Look how different the looks are from Spring 2010 to Fall 2010 alone! 

On a hopeful note, I can see Sarah Burton has talent, but personally I challenge her to push this to realms of limitless creativity. I can't wait to see the result. 

What do you think mes cheries?

Au Revoir 2010

This year has seemed to have flown by! From staying alone in Warsaw last year, unable to be close to any friends and family...to this year living my dream and snagging a party to watch the ball drop live in NYC... I must say words cannot properly express my elation over the past few months.

I think we're raised to be synical...dream big, but don't get your hopes up because all too often things are not what they seem. Normally this tactic works, as it shelters us from a whole array of disappointing outcomes, but every once and a while you will find yourself pleasantly surprised with sheer happiness. New York has been my surprise, since the days of dress up in my mother's high heels I have dreamed of being a New Yorker. I couldn't wait to prance across town hailing cabs and climbing career ladders... all in the highest of styles of course ;)

This city certainly hazes anyone who dares try to live here, but once you make it in, its absolutely fabulous. So this New Year's I have a bounty of greatness to celebrate. Dreams come true, home sweet home established, and new adventures to embark upon. My favorite thing about New Year's is the look back of the last year, and how many incredible changes can happen in just 365 days. I am sure 2011 will bring about some changes of its own and personally cannot wait set out on the next 365 adventure!

Here is my recap of 2010... what is yours darlings?

{merci weheartit for the photo love}

 Rang in the New Year in a new country!

 Traveled to 4 new countries!

Fell in love in a romantic city!

Life long goal realized!

Not bad. No pressure 2011...

Paris vs NYC

It is interesting to me how depending on the personality, each person will have a different opinion of what the greatest city is. For me, there is no competition to New York City being the most exciting city on the planet. As much as I love Rome for its ancient beauty, Paris for its romance and London for its edgy eccentricity... New York is the place with the excitement, the art, the massive diverse culture, the in-your-face, fast paced excitement that I thrive off of in life. I am learning more and more that I can find a shop or restaurant of anything I may be seeking...of course I will never forsake traveling to the actual cultural origin (traveling is my first love) but for a place to call home, New York takes the cake.

I discovered this graphic artist Vahram Muratyan last week who has done a wonderful rendition of Paris vs New York and I think it is a great graphic print series. You can find more prints as he adds them on his blog Paris vs NYC.