The first show after the passing of Oscar De La Renta was always going to be closely watched and the media buzz surrounding this particular collection felt very much like when Sarah Burton took over at McQueen back in 2001. De La Renta’s successor, Peter Copping, held the burden of carrying the label through this tough period and to deliver a collection within mere months before New York Fashion Week.
The expectation and pressure for Copping to carry on De La Renta’s legacy and design was high. But as when Burton took over at McQueen, or Lagerfeld at Chanel (so many moons ago!), this collection was never meant to be a copycat tribute. To try and attempt to recreate the magic that Oscar captured on the runway would be nearby impossible and – quite honestly – be an insult to his memory.
Instead Copping carved out a collection that felt very fresh yet reassuringly familiar. Though you could hardly call this collection risky there was certainly an air of a new era of De La Renta afoot but with a few twists and tweaks. The lines of the pieces were more blurred, more modern and more subdued than previous season (a symbolic mourning of the former designer perhaps? More likely a shift with the season change of an Autumn/Winter collection).
We’re starting to see a little experimentation with shapes, but ultimately Copping operates under the same mantra of working alongside the female form rather than restricting it.
Taking a closer look at the pieces themselves, they’re darkly dramatic and dripping in lace and large floral motifs. With a collection so dark any sign of colour pops out like a beacon, as seen with the neon yellow, fushcias, creams, and navy blues. As I said it’s nothing too out there, but this collection will be enough to please Oscar’s biggest fans – myself included – and entice a new generation to the label.
Thoughts on Copping’s debut? Leave them in the comments below!
R.xoxo
