In the fickle, fast-paced fashion industry, few designers have as much staying power as Oscar de la Renta. A recipient of this year’s CFDA Womens- wear Designer of the Year Award, the Dominican designer first launched his own line in 1965 and has been creating sumptuous, refined separates, acces- sories, and even home goods for more than 40 years. As New York Fashion Week gets started, we catch up with the legendary designer as he prepares another blockbuster collection. —Susan Cernek
Describe the mood and inspiration behind your spring 2008 collection. Vibrant graphic patterns in natural hues accented with pops of color.
What stage of the design process do you enjoy the most and why? My best times are designing with my assistants in my studio. I love working with fabrics, pinning and draping them, adding ornamentation and embellishments to create elegant, well-made clothes.
The Oscar de la Renta woman is known for being sophisticated and elegant. Who are some of the most sophisticated and elegant women you know? To me, my customer is the most sophisticated and elegant of women—from the young professional dressed in a feminine Oscar de la Renta suit to the girl at a party wearing a beautiful Oscar dress
Of all the arts—music, dance, painting—which is your favorite and why? I love painting. When I was younger, I studied art at the Academy of San Fernando in Madrid. It was there that I explored my passion for colors and soon discovered my interest in fashion and the world of design.
Who are your favorite artists? Picasso and Velàzquez
