Oscar de la Renta is a brand that always excites me and so I couldn’t wait to see what they had in store for their spring-summer 2022 (“SS22”) collection. How would Oscar be returning to New York Fashion Week following the COVID-19 pandemic? All in all, it is safe to say that Oscar did not disappoint.
Firstly, the collection was launched via a beautiful video set in the streets of New York. Oscar featured 44 amazing designs (give or take two) for the new season. The show opened with Soo Joo Park placing Billie Eilish’s new album ‘Happier Than Ever’ on a record player as the song ‘Oxytocin’ was used for the soundtrack. The alliance with Eilish proved consistent as the artist chose to wear Oscar de la Renta to the Met Gala as the youngest ever co-chair for the event this September. The nineteen-year-old star also impressively managed to convince the brand to go fur-free. Billie proudly shared this in an Instagram caption alongside her Met Gala old-Hollywood style gown.
However, Eilish was not the only star to feature in the spring-summer 2022 collection video. Top models such as Candice Swanepoel and Irina Shayk took to the virtual catwalk, with Paris Hilton making an appearance. Paris wore an embroidered knit cardigan as she uttered her iconic catchphrase “that’s hot”. The video itself was a beautiful ode to New York as the models toured the city in their various looks. This honestly served as an impressive and refreshing approach to Fashion Week.
The Fashion
The looks themselves featured large floral patterns; various bright colours that are perfect for spring; puffy silhouettes and open lace. I feel open lace can be considered an Oscar de la Renta trademark. The large florals and colours seemed in line with Taylor Swift’s Grammy dress from 2021 which was designed by Oscar.
I felt that Looks 35 and 36 were somewhat reminiscent of Swift’s 70s style dress in that they feature large and textured floral patterns.
Favourite Looks from Oscar
One of my personal favourites from the collection featured 3-D florals on an A-line structured mini-dress. Although this was aesthetically different to Taylor’s Grammy dress, the rigid structure and bold protruding flowers create some consistency with its predecessor.
A lot of my favourite looks in the collection fell under the same baby-pink colour palette as the above-cited.
The colour appears to be a staple in de la Renta’s SS22 collection with 11 of the Looks featuring a pop of the shade. My favourite of these looks includes Look 22; a dress that can be described as bubble-gum in both its shade and style.
I am also a huge fan of the 90s Chanel-esque two-piece featured in Look 16. The baby pink colour and the checked mini skirt feel reminiscent of the iconic Chanel co-ords that the world still pines for.
Finally, an Oscar De La Renta collection would not be a collection without featuring beautiful, intricate, and elaborate gowns. This collection closes with a delicately beaded black and white strapless gown featuring a plunging neckline. Donned by Anok Yai at this year’s Met Gala, you can see why it stands out.
The figure-hugging look strays from the flowy and brightly coloured looks in the collection, providing a striking closing image. However, my personal favourite gown in the collection is Look 27.
The red strapless high-low gown reminds me of the bright orange Pre-Fall 2010 Oscar de la Renta gown worn by Leighton Meester when starring as Blair Waldorf in the fourth season of Gossip Girl; a fashion moment that I have loved since my early teens.
This is possibly the shortest show out of all designers, clocking in at under five minutes. For a truly technologically advanced experience, watch the show here.
