Honoring An Icon | Oscar de la Renta (1932 - 2014):
He led a full and charmed life.
Oscar de la Renta, who passed away Monday night at age 82 after a long battle with cancer, was fashion’s favorite ladies’ man. His Latin-lover good looks, fascination with feminine style, strong color sense and impeccable social skills — a wonderful sense of humor among them — made him a court dressmaker to a large portion of the international set and a designer for First Ladies from the time of Betty Ford. He was a particular favorite of three of the last: Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush — and Michelle Obama recently donned one of his dresses at the White House event for fashion students.
While de la Renta could design clothes that were editorial darlings, his genius was in making women look and feel beautiful. Romantic, glamorous styles were his signature: tastefully extravagant, Paris-influenced, with an undercurrent of Latin pizazz. He was best-known for his designs for the Ladies Who Lunch, the likes of Babe Paley, C.Z. Guest and Marella Agnelli, along with a glittering constellation of other aristocrats and socialites, performers, broadcasters and top executives, who often became, not just customers, but friends. Yet de la Renta always remained current and in recent years, a younger set — who included actresses Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Garner and Lea Michele — fell under his spell.
Oscar will continue to hold a special place in the Marissa Collections family. He and Marissa held a unique bond formed over the past few decades - a bond filled with love, laughter and respect - not only for fashion, but also for the admiration of women - striving to make all women feel beautiful both inside and out. Wanting women to "walk like they have three men walking behind them," - always exuding the qualities he admired most - the utmost in confidence and kindness.
Marissa Collections is celebrating all that is Oscar with our previously scheduled trunk show on Thursday, October 23rd and Friday, October 24th.
