Tribute to the late great Óscar De La Renta 💕

Oscar De La Renta was born in Santo Domingo , Dominican Republic ,on July 22nd 1932 to an influential Dominican- Puerto Rican family. De La Renta was the youngest of seven children and also the only boy. To his parents  Dominican mother, Carmen María Antonia Fiallo,  And his father a Puerto Rican man Óscar Avelino De La Renta, owner of an insurance company. The Fiallos, De la Renta's mother's family, were so embedded in Dominican society that they could count poets, scholars, and businessmen, as well as top army brass among their members. His dreams took him far, his very first dress was designed for the US ambassadors daughter , Beatrice Lodge in 1956.

Oscar De La Renta And the US ambassador's daughter Beatrice Lodge 

1956. 

De La Renta moved to Spain at the age of 17 and studied in the ateliers of Cristobal Balenciaga , Christian Dior , and Jeanne Lanvin, before becoming one of today's most iconis designers.

 In 1961 after learning a lot from designer Cristobal Balenciaga he landed a position next to  Antonio del Castillo as couture assistant at Lanvin in Paris.

Oscar De La Rent worked as a designer for Jane Darby for two years , when Jane Died in August of 1965 De La Renta took over the label, he called the line "Oscar De La Renta For Jane Derby. 1966 he changed the name just to Oscar De La Renta and in 1974 he took over the entire business. 

From 1993 to 2002 De La Renta designed the haute couture collection for the house of Balmain, becoming the first Dominican to design for a French couture house. In 2006, the Oscar de la Renta label diversified into bridal wear.

Timeless fashion is one of the first words  that come to mind when you think of De La Renta , sheer elegance are the next words along with countless other ways to describe the best fashion in the world. The words every designer wants to hear and never gets old.

De La Renta Had dressed some

Of the most stylish women in the world. From former First Lady Jacquelyn Kennedy  and every other First Lady up to present First Lady Michelle Obama.

And Some may not know that the icon designer is the designer behind the American Boy Scouts uniforms he reimagined them in 1980,

For two years he designed the official new uniforms for the boys , girls and also the troop leaders. The original uniforms were more traditional military style , he changed the style into a more everyday look by changing out the pants and designed shirts that were made to use "De La Renta- designed neckerchiefs."

"It should be suitable for strenuous activity. It should be made from an easy care fabric; and at the same time the wearer should still look like a scout," De La Renta told "Scouting Magazine" in 1980.

It is rumoured from close family as friends that De La Renta was an amazing singer :) 

It's always interesting to learn more about icons especially to know how their thought process worked I think that for designers it's always good to hear the words (quotes) from designers as to what they thought of when they design or when they look at their own work as a lover of fashion I always want to know what the design said about each item or each icon dress or women who wore the dress etc.  so to have quotes from designers like De La Renta are truly priceless to up coming designers and just fashion admires in general. Simply because the designer puts everything into their designs all the confidence that transfers into the confidence of the wearer. one of his famous quotes is 

“The qualities I most admire in women are confidence and kindness.”

-Oscar De La Renta 

Here are a few that we love 

"Walk like you have three men walking behind you" 

-Oscar De La Renta 

“Work hard. Believe in yourself. It’s not the publicity that sells the clothes, it’s the woman.”

-Oscar De La Renta 

“Fashion is about dressing according to what’s fashionable. Style is more about being yourself.”

-Oscar De La Renta 

"My job as a designer is to make women feel their very best." 

-Oscar De La Renta 

And now for our favorite dresses and designs by Oscar De La Renta 

VINTAGE 

READY TO WEAR 

BRIDAL 

COUTURE 

You can read a lot more about Oscar De La Renta and also his very influential Family on Wikipedia 

All You Ever Wanted To Know About Earrings Just Never Thought To Ask

It is thought that earrings date back to 3000 BC where they originated in Asia and appeared in 2 formats, one being the simple hoop earring and the other the more elaborate pendant earring.

The oldest earrings ever found by archaeologists were discovered in royal graves in Iraq and date back to around 2500 BC. Gold, silver and bronze hoop earrings have also been found dating back to 2000 BC in Crete. In those days it was customary to bury jewellery with the dead.

In 16th century in the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt a type of earring called an earplug became fashionable and these fitted snugly into a wide stretched hole in the earlobe. This type of piercing is seen on the sculpture of Tutankhamen.

Poverty in the Dark ages meant that work with precious metals dwindled although some goldsmiths preserved designs that were to later emerge in 7th century Greece. The most popular earrings then there were the pendant type and they often featured a bird or likenesses of the gods Eros and Nike.

In the 2nd century during the Roman Empire, earrings became a popular way for rich women to show off their wealth and the use of precious gemstones in the jewellery also became more popular.

During the Middle Ages, earrings became less popular and practical due to the popularity of elaborate hairstyles and headdresses.  In fact for a time it was considered immoral for respectable married woman not to have their heads covered in public.

In 16th century Italy, hairstyles changed with hair being swept away from the face leaving ears exposed although for another 100 years things stayed the same in England, Spain and France with the wearing of high collars keeping earrings out of fashion.

By the 17th century, earrings became very fashionable accessory for the well dressed lady across the whole of Europe. One of the most popular designs of those times were the very large heavy pendant type earrings called girandoles which were great favourites of Queen Victoria. These earrings required a substantial amount of precious metals and gemstones and so were very heavy, which meant that most people that wore them suffered from elongated earlobes.

Although earrings were popular with wealthy people throughout the ages, they were also popular with poorer people who adopted their own styles which were less elaborate and made from less expensive materials.

It wasnt until the 20th century that earrings were completely revolutionised. Different fittings appeared such as screw and clip on as well as those for pierced ears and it also became the norm for women to wear earrings in the day and not just for special occasions. The 1960s marked a massive change for the wearing of earrings when designs became completely unrestrained and it became common to see men also wearing earrings although most only usually wear one earring. Women began to collect earrings and with so many designs available the choices were endless.

Today the choice is even greater and the popularity of earrings increases with many people now having more than one set of piercings in which to display their jewellery. Modern materials such as titanium and different types of plastics have also become popular in the making of earrings because of their lightness, design possibilities and in the case of titanium because of its hypoallergenic qualities.

There is now a never ending choice of different types of earrings from modern trendy cheap and cheerful everyday earrings to the more expensive gold, silver or platinum earrings inlaid with diamonds and other precious gemstones.