New York Fashion Week: Oscar de la Renta

Hilary Alexander reports from New York fashion week

I’ve always suspected Oscar de la Renta was a Mongolian warlord or a Russian prince in a previous life. His collections mine a rich seam of ethnic inspiration in the most luxurious fabrics and jewel-tone colours.

	The grand finale: Oscar de la Renta shows off a sheepskin vest covering a tulle train

Next autumn/winter’s collection was a perfect example of the designer’s exotic imagination. Imagine a chocolate sheepskin jacket, cinched with a wide belt over a gold and brown embroidered dirndl and worn with chocolate suede boots; an olive jacket, high-collared and belted, with a full skirt in shadow-dye from deep purple to crimson; a brown tweed herringbone jacket with a matching skirt encrusted with gold sequins; or an emerald taffeta trench-coat lined in fur.

When not belted, the jackets were straight and shapely, but generally allied to this feminine, peasant-style skirt, by turns hand-painted with florals, embellished with beading or hemmed in mink.

As an alternative, a brown cable-knit cashmere cardigan appeared, belted over a gold brocade mini or a violet cabled cashmere knit with flecked tweed flared trousers.Violet, purple, fuschia, olive, beige and ruby all played their part in this luscious cavalcade.

For after-dark, the mood was just as lavish; a red sequined jacket over a low-cut dress, its décolletage filled with brightly-coloured jewels or a red sequined sheath-dress veiled in black tulle.

There was a wine silk faille strapless dress, drenched with molten silver embroidery and a 50’s style dress featuring a bodice topped with nude tulle and a gold-beaded skirt.

The grand occasion was interpreted in severe long columns of black silk crepe or dazzling fishtai gowns in jade taffeta and black lace or a grey/burgundy floral with a ruffle snaking down the hips and around the knees.

A Klimt-gown was shown in a mix of rainbow jewels and gilded embroidery and a deep olive ballgown was accompanied by a short, square-cut jacket embossed with gold.

The finale – a gold sheepskin vest over a pale champagne tulle crinoline with a massive train, sprinkled with gold – bought de la Renta’s magic carpet ride to a fitting end.