Oscar de la Renta talks Mrs. O
Monday, June 10, 2013 at 8:40 AM Given this blog has followed Oscar de la Renta's comments about the first lady's style to date, it seems only fair to continue. In last week's talk with Fern Mallis at the 92Y in New York City, the designer clarified his past statements:
"Michelle Obama makes a terrific first lady. Would I like to dress her? I would like dress every woman. She is not an elected official. This is the only country where the first lady does play a very important public role. I see that fact as lost opportunities. I was upset [that] when the Chinese prime minister came for an official visit, she [Michelle Obama] wore a dress from a foreign designer [Alexander McQueen]. What a lost opportunity to promote an American industry. I am sure she didn't do it on purpose. She was just not well-advised. She is a good-looking lady who could do tremendous help to make this very big industry grow more."
"De la Renta Opens Up at 92Y" [WWD]
Reader Comments (35)
Good gracious. Is he still talking about this? I would understand his point if Michelle Obama were not wearing American designers, but she is -- she has been a tremendous boost to some American designers, such as Jason Wu, Tracy Reese, the unnamed designers at J.Crew, Peter Soronen, Tom Binns...I'm sure there are others I'm not thinking of. If he just said "I wish I were dressing her," then I would respect that.
Spot-on Christina.
Peace.
I agree Christina. I wish this blog wouldn't feature his comments. I see no need for his negativity. It certainly doesn't add anything to the blog.
Oscar, seriously?
The thing is in the end, in his concerted effort to demean, dismiss, shame and humiliate Mrs Obama for not "knowing better" and more importantly, for not wearing his clothes -- actually for not turning to him and completely surrendering to his "fashion brilliance", Oscar de la Renta only ended up coming off as petty, spiteful, whiny, small-minded, condescending, vindictive and nasty---
And Oscar's many attempts since to recast and "clarify" his original comments and statements have only served to confirm all of our initial impressions of Oscar: He is petty, vindictive, whiny, spiteful, small-minded, condescending and nasty---
But I'll also add: selfish and entitled to that list.
For years, Oscar de la Renta exclusively dressed several first ladies --and presumed first ladies -- and no discussions --or criticisms were ever entertained -- or permitted. (Not even when the clothes were less than flattering -- and stupendously budget-busting - the sort that'd be sure to send many of today's self-appointed trackers of the costs of Mrs Obama's comparatively budget sensible wardrobe, into a massive heart attack!)
Who can forget how Oscar flaunted his associations with Cindy McCain? Oh he was so sure she was set to become the next first lady---even making a big to-do about her personal fitting appointments with him in the last stretch of the 2008 campaign---
Mrs Obama was practically persona non grata as far as Oscar de la Renta was concerned--
Fast-forward to January 2009 and our spectacular and groundbreaking First Lady emerges. And she is supremely groundbreaking in every regard--
She unlike previous first ladies, begins to not only use her clothes and accessories to shape messages and to tell important stories, she most importantly starts to showcase new, young and previously underexposed and uncelebrated but incredibly talented and brilliant designers---
There was no longer just one self-important, know-it-all designer exclusively dressing the First Lady of the United States of America -- every talented designer including those who never even dreamed of it, now had a chance of having the First Lady wear their clothes or accessories!
Mrs Obama has been incredibly supportive of American designers --even when she didn't have to be --
Nobody ever dictated to her predecessors what or whom they could or should wear or when and how; nobody ever made any demands of her predecessors period.
They called the shots and they came and went as they pleased without any questions about anything --and especially not about the designers, "appropriateness" or costs of their clothes or accessories --
Today, thanks to Mrs Obama, so many people the world over now know about some of the most talented and brightest designers out there -- many of whom have struggled for years toiling in near anonymity - even as their talents and brilliance were often only known to a few industry insiders --if even that--
And contrary to his protestations, all this carping from Oscar has never really been about "American designers". It's always been for Oscar de la Renta all about Oscar de la Renta. His ego, his sense of entitlement --and when things didn't go his way, his spiteful tantrums and crass lashing out at a woman who before her husband, to Oscar's surprise, won the 2008 elections, he'd deliberately ignored and probably didn't even deem worthy of his time or "expertise" --
Oscar de la Renta has had a good run. Life has been very good to him. At some point, a little humility, gratitude, graciousness goes a long way--
Oscar might also want to look up the meaning of respect too -- it doesn't just apply only when there's something to be gotten out of it -- or only when a person is thought to be wealthy and important!
Oscar can learn a lot by watching Mrs Obama -- she lives life and treats others as she would have them treat her, but she won't suffer fools -- or be anyone's fool either---
Mrs Obama has deservedly earned the trust, love, admiration and respect of many people the world over and her unique style is really only just incidental to it --- people trust, love, respect and admire the amazing woman and human being she is. Smart, strong, focused, loyal, dedicated, gracious, kind, witty, insightful, fun-- even in the face of unprecedented - and unprovoked - attacks and hostility---
She continues to shine; to quietly and effortlessly make her mark --in spite of people like Oscar.
I cannot wait to see how her greatness unfolds - something tells me that this is only the preamble to the story that will be told of this very unassuming but supremely magnificent woman, wife, mother and First Lady--
Something tells me that in the end, that so many people -- including some just like Oscar de la Renta, would look back and wish they'd been kinder to and more respectful of this particular First Lady--
I have this niggling feeling that Mrs Obama will most certainly have the very last laugh ---
And for generations to come, many will be laughing with her---
Christina, well said. Audrey, thanks for your analysis of Oscar, I couldn't agree more. He is showing himself to be spoilt and petty. Honestly, his obsession with Michelle Obama is scary.
Dayyyyy-um, Audrey! ..."Why you gotta be so good and on-point?" You're comment is so comprehensively brilliant that I can't think of one new damn thing to say! ...I think this comment thread needs to be closed--after mine, of course. ;-) Supremely well done, Audrey.
P.S. (*cue music*) Oscar de la has a way with b-o-l-o-g-n-a!
How arrogant to make the statement that the First Lady is ill-advised! She has been very thoughtful in her choices, most especially when foreign dignitaries were involved. It is so obvious that this is simply sour grapes. Mr. de la Renta is showing us that he is obsolete, that a modern First Lady with fashion savvy knows when she needs advisers and when she is safe in relying on her own choices. Be gracious, Oscar, and we will think more highly of you!
All I can say is that I very much remember the beautiful gown Mrs. Obama did wear for the State Dinner with the Chinese prime minister and do not consider it "ill advised" as it was very beautiful. This is the global world we live in now and "it's in the past . . . ."
Oscar is from the Dominican Republic, studied in Spain, worked at Lanvin in Paris before establishing his own label. He has joint Dominican/US citizenship. And he's complaining that Mrs. O used a "foreign" designer?
Mrs T
Did you post Mr. De la Renta's comments to instigate? How unfair of you to throw this man to these pack of bias wolves! Shame on you!
Audrey I wish I could tweet your comment. Brava! Christina - ditto I'm w/you. Claire agree w/you 100% no one wants to hear what Oscar has to say about Mrs. O. Since Oscar's comments have been nothing but ratchett when it comes to the First Lady I'm going to take a page from his book and tell em to have SEVERAL SEATS.
@ Audrey you are a writer. Thanks for being a part of this great blog and making it so interesting. I wish you were here to help me write a book about a true life-altering experience with a loved one, that could help others be more aware.
You have an incredible gift and I hope it’s taking you places and opening great new opportunities. I love words and admire people like you who describes to the T, the First lady’s outstanding example and a role model for people all over the world.
When you read the way he describes the first lady as “terrific” “good- looking lady” and to say she is not well advised, implies that she isn’t capable of making her own decisions which WE know is false and admire the First Lady because she has the great art of choosing what she is comfortable wearing as she said in her vogue interview “women should wear whatever makes them feel good about themselves. If your’e comfortable in your clothes it’s easy to connect with people and make them feel comfortable as well.”
He’s from another planet, from an old neighborhood, he is years behind and hasn’t realized that this is a new day, and Mrs. O is not your typical first lady. The list of words to describe this authentic, inspiring, unique, empowered public figure who shows us how to rework our wardrobe and be “brave” with “our fashion choices” – is endless.
To say he was upset because she wore a foreign designers dress, should indicate that this guy is unaware and should be ashamed of making a statement like that being a fashion designer knowing that people all over the world wear styles from designers worldwide.
Thank you so much Marcus, Jestina and Fern; Its been 5 long years and counting and I think sometimes when you've observed such awfulness, disrespect and unkindness shown to a person who is so undeserving of it, you're just instinctively propelled to act; to do your bit in your own small way -- and sometimes, the words that come tumbling out from the heart is not only cathartic for this informal writer, but it's also such a bonus to know that it captures something for others reading it--
Fern you write very well and from the heart too-- Are you writing a book? Have you started?
I guess it's worthwhile to let the readership know that de la Renta is kind of a jerk. In his business, I guess he doesn't have to be diplomatic.
It's been a while since I've posted here, but I just couldn't contain myself. Oscar is the one who is ill-advised. Some fool "advised" him that designing w/ the VERY cruel materials such as fur was a good idea! 90% of what Mrs. O wears makes me wanna run out and find the outfit! Once in a blue moon, I feel she "misses" (which is far less than my "misses"!). But one thing I have to say about Mrs. O: She has NEVER EVER worn fur, or exotic skins. Using these materials involves SO much disgusting cruelty that I'm amazed some people still think it's okay in the 21st century. Kudos to Mrs. O for helping to bring this kind of cruelty out of style. And yet, I've seen countless Oscar collections (on tv) showing fur, exotic skins, suedes, leathers, reptiles, etc. And I've seem him interviewed bragging about how divine it all is! He really makes me sick.
After reading Audrey's fabulous post, I thought of something else: When JFK became Pres., Jackie hired a french chef to make all the official meals for the WH. This chef made french foods, not American foods. And, when LBJ became Pres., the chef left the WH, complaining that it was wrong to serve bbq (that Texan LBJ liked) to women in long, white gloves! I believe it was not until the Clintons that the WH brought in a chef who showcased traditional American fare. Why was it okay for Jackie to snub her nose at American cuisine in favor of French cuisine during the ENTIRE tenure of her husband's presidency, and not okay for Mrs. O to wear a British designer ONE time??? Also, did it ever occur to this numbskull that by wearing a British designer during an official visit by the Chinese prime minister it helped to show the Chinese how strong the US-British alliance is??? This is important because as we respond to situations in Syria, continued threats to our allies from Iran, continued threats to our Asian allies from North Korea, continued threats from terror groups, it sends a message that Western alliances can't be broken and if you want to do business w/ one of us, you'd better be aware of the strong bond we have w/ each other. But I guess Oscar whining is far more important than international peace!
Great comments Christina, Fern and particularly Audrey! You have inspired me to add my 2 cents.
After reading the post about Oscar's dissatisfaction with our beautiful First Lady's fashion choices, particularly that she fails to promote American fashion designers (namely him) almost made me fall off of my Fashionista chair and call all of my friends (from the floor) and tell them about this absurd accusation! Instead I decided to calmly research who the "real" Oscar is...and why he feels that he is the quintessential American designer being snubbed by our fair First Lady O!
Well, to start with his name...Óscar Arístides de la Renta Fiallo...even the O has a symbol over it that my American keyboard doesn't readily recognize. When I see accent marks such as this, I wonder if I am even pronouncing his first name correctly! But I digress...Oscar was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to a Dominican mother, María Antonia Fiallo, and a Puerto Rican father. Let me be the first to say that I am all for Obama's call for a supportive immigration policy, but an accusation of Lady O's non-support of American designers from "Mr. funny-O for Oscar" just kind of ruffled my fashionable feather boa! I have watched with honor as everyday Michelle steps into the public eye looking flawless in a design by a "was unknown yesterday" American designer. I have personally added wonderful Rachel Roy's vibrant couture to my wardrobe because of this fact.
OK...dusting myself off with my boa and Google searching onward, I read about ol' Oscar (using the term lightly) and discovered that at the age of 18 he left the Dominican Republic to study in Spain...not the USA, but Spain, where he became interested in fashion design and began sketching for leading Spanish fashion houses, which soon led to an apprenticeship with one of Spain's most renowned couturiers. Later, Oscar left Spain, becoming a couture assistant in Paris. I'll admit, these are wonderful credentials...but very "un-American." In fact, Oscar didn't arrive to our welcoming shores until he was in his 30s! Even many of the designers that Mrs. O wears are much younger than that!
As for my credentials...I have a degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution and practice what I preach at every opportunity as a Global Fashion Ambassador with a fashion house in Hawai'i. I rarely reply to online stories and posts, but this one got my cashmere! You mess with my First Lady Michelle, you mess with me...fashionably speaking!
Mahalo nui loa...Hawaiian for Thank you very much!
P.S. My mother LOVES Oscar de la Renta couture...so there you have it! :-)
Read what I have to say about Madam Hillary and her pantsuits at:
http://ease-collection.blogspot.com/
Very well said and your’e so modest. Thanks.....I wish - and I appreciate your comment. I intend to write a book in the future when I have more time, will need some help for sure. If I had my life to live again – definitely improve my writing skills.
Let me get this straight, it was okay for past First Ladies to wear his foreign designs to state dinners, but it's not okay for Mrs. O to do the same? Yeah, I smell a sourpuss. A foreign designer, knocking a foreign designer. I've seen it all now.
Blog post incorrectly titled. Should be "Oscar de la Renta talks DOWN to Mrs. O." Self-absorbed old fart. Why should we care what he has to say about FLOTUS? Obviously, she doesn't. We shouldn't either.
Sour grapes, Oscar. You picked the wrong horse to ride in 2008. It is not surprising that FLOTUS does not wear a lot of ODLR. She is young and fashion forward--not old and stuffy
Anyone that says Mrs. Obama isn't "well advised" is a fool. She's incredibly intelligent and I'm sure doesn't need advice when it comes to her fashion choices (or likely many of her other choices). If she makes a decision it is intentional. I think we can all agree she's done plenty to promote American designers.
Tiersa you can Tweet Audrey's comment. It just needs to be copied/pasted into a blog entry or on a web page as a stand alone entry. Then you can tweet a link to the URL of that web/blog entry. If you or Audry don't have a blog let me know and I can do it on my blog, with Audrey's permission of course and then I could tweet the link to you so that you can tweet the link.
John Galliano caught my attention with his appearance on Charlie Rose this week; I then researched him and the scandal surrounding statements (anti-sematic) he made and learned that Oscar has taken him under his wing to help revitalize his career. Hmmmm . . . .
I contributed comments similar to the designer's several years ago and they were not posted. Mrs. O should obviously wear only American. Princess Diana (and now Kate) wear primarily British and it is good for the fashion industry in the UK. And a woman as education as Mrs. Obama really shouldn't even have to be advised on this. Unfortunately this is an extremely biased website.
Tired post and tired designer. Mrs T. please send something new our way!
Mrs. T, this site needs a like button, a favorite star or something. I'd like to let fellow posters know I agree without having to go through the exercise of a moderated comment each time. Thanks, a follower since the beginning!
As always, great post Audrey!
Now, my two cents............
From fossil fuel, bitter Oscar: "What a lost opportunity to promote an American industry. I am sure she didn't do it on purpose. She was just not well-advised. She is a good-looking lady who could do tremendous help to make this very big industry grow more."
From: www.FashionHotTips.com:
"Michelle Obama’s nearly two hundred appearances from 2008 through 2009 raised over 2.7 billion dollars in revenue for 29 different fashion designers just because she wore their clothing and the masses went out and bought similar clothing that Obama wore. Some fashion companies saw their stock rise over 25% during that same period."
@ Christine, the British princess, Kate, wears Tom Ford, who was born right here in the good ole U.S. of A. So now what's your point about Mrs. O doing something every FLOTUS before her has done before?
I might be the only one to offer this view, but here goes:
The persona or brand of any First Lady is very much a crafted one. It is no different to the brand of a product that we associate with certain ideals. While it's wonderful that so many people here have bought into the idea that somehow major political figures are merely reflecting their authentic tastes, in reality this is far from the truth. In other words, I don't think she's 'just wearing what she loves.' She's a trained lawyer; there are discussions and strategy on colors, suppliers, names, materials etc, when determining if it fulfills the First Lady brand. If she were the CEO of Nike wearing Puma, or the Chairwoman of Yahoo caught surfing on Google, it would be a problem. Well, she is the First Lady of a country with a fashion industry and she has a brand that includes fashion consciousness . . . not so different from my other examples.
Also, I don't think Oscar was saying she is not allowed to wear foreign designers, he's only pointing out that it was an opportunity to promote an American industry at a time when the purpose of the meeting was to promote Chinese & American businesses. I spent some time living in Paris, studying the French economy. The fashion industry there is a huge contributor to the country's GDP and brings in the disposable income of the rich around the world at an unparalleled rate. It's so fundamental to the economy that discount sales are controlled by the government so as to maximize price elasticity. America has some ways to go in this area. As great as Michelle has been in supporting American designers, there are opportunities to do more. The U.S. is crawling out of a recession, every bit helps.
Finally, maybe he made this comment in response to a question from the media on the topic. Often the public is quick to assume that the speaker is pushing a particular topic when it is really only part of a response.
@vivienne & @audrey I would love to tweet Audrey's comment. I don't have a blog yet so if you do blog it please send me a link (avedon2020@gmail or @literatirhap).
@o'Coutoure thank you for that response to @Christine's comment. Of course everyone has their own opinions but come on people. And @K we ALL know perfectly well what Oscar was saying thank you. No one is saying her image isn't crafted but she's the one dictating how and what it's crafted into which is where Oscar has a problem because unlike the previous First Lady's it wasn't crafted by him. Booo! on you Oscar. If he had been nice she'd probably have worn something of his by now but no he had to be lame about it.
@K,
How funny that you had no such expectations or demands of any previous first ladies?? Was there no "fashion industry" before Mrs Obama and how is it that there was no push for those first ladies to promote said industry??
How is it that Oscar de la Renta exclusively dressed and still gets to dress Mrs Clinton and Mrs Bush to this day and nothing was ever asked of these two first ladies?? How come Oscar de la Renta can't get his friend Mrs Clinton to do the promoting of designers he pretends to desperately care about and seek???
It is not Mrs Obama's job to promote American designers or anything else for that matter!!! And not especially since she's not the one elected and nobody pays her a salary either!!!
I think Audrey was spot on in her observations. For some strange reason everybody seems to think they get to dictate to this particular First Lady and President what and how they ought to do and be!!! Whereas no such demands were ever made of any previous first ladies or presidents!!!
Mrs Obama owes nobody anything and just like previous first ladies, perhaps we need to respect her enough and allow her HER choices in what she wears and both in choosing who and what to support - if and when she feels like it!!!
Oscar de la Renta has been extremely rude and very condescending and disrespectful of Mrs Obama, so there's little wonder everybody immediately assumes and attributes negative intentions and motives whenever he ventures towards discussing Mrs Obama!!!
Mrs Obama has been more than generous and all without any prompting K and if she never does one more thing, she's still done more for the fashion industry as a whole than all of her predecessors combined!!!
It is Oscar de la Renta not Mrs Obama, who has a lot to learn!!! And all the know-it-all's out there who seem to think they know better than Mrs Obama!!! Enough!!!
He just keeps digging himself deeper doesn't he? Ill advised? What is that based on? Because she didn't wear HIS dress? Ridiculous. She chooses her dresses very purposefully and was honoring Alexander McQueen because he had recently passed. This First Lady has championed American designers like no other First Lady before her. Many of them and has basically single handedly put J. Crew in the black! No other First Lady's fashion has EVER been followed like this since Jackie Kennedy. She is the best role model I think we've ever had because she is always authentically herself and is such an intelligent, active woman and incredible Mom. Oscar? Just stop talking.
Fashion plus politics..... Loving it!
Some of the information in these posts are incorrect. First of all, Jackie Kennedy was criticized mightily during the 1960 campaign for wearing French designers. Nixon made it a big campaign issue and dispatched his wife Pat to discuss her preference for all-American department stores. Once Jackie became First Lady, she turned to Oleg Cassini, a French immigrant and designer, to make her wardrobe. Her clothes were designed and made just for her.
As for Jackie's chef, he was a French immigrant. This was the first time a chef had ever been hired to cook at the White House. In those days American chefs were few, and the best ones came from France. That didn't change until Julia Child went on TV and inspired Americans to become chefs.
As for Oscar de la Renta, he's one of the most successful American designers in history. He shouldn't mention this topic anymore because it's futile. He's trying to make MO into something she isn't.