Oscar de la Renta Runway Has Met Gala’s ‘Heavenly Bodies’ Dressing Theme Handled

“Those coats!” proclaimed stylist Erin Walsh, who works with Sarah Jessica Parker and Maggie Gyllenhaal. “They are not effing around,” added Cristina Ehrlich, fashion right hand to Laura Dern, Greta Gerwig, Allison Williams and more, snapping away on her camera.  “Oscar is back.”

At the fall 2018 Oscar de la Renta collection — presented under the stunning ceiling of the Cunard Building on Monday at New York Fashion Week — the Hollywood stylists in the front row were beaming.

While Laura Kim’s and Fernando Garcia’s last collection for the house was a bit edgy, with the Oscar signature, arty scribble prints, T-shirts and jeans, this season was a return to a more classic, uptown look.

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That also meant a smorgasbord of red carpet-ready stunners, including a dip-dye ruby red cloud-like tulle coat with jeweled clasps that had diva written all over it (Oprah, are you reading?), a fuchsia cashmere dress with three-quarter length sleeves and black circle embroidery that would take a woman almost anywhere, and a botanical print ball skirt worn with a lace top for a more casual take on evening glam.

Back to glam at @OscardelaRenta #nyfw pic.twitter.com/lLgIpbkWbS

— @Booth (@Booth) February 12, 2018

There was also plenty of tasteful day wear, including floral embroidered ladies-who-lunch jackets and coats, chic cigarette pants, worn with shirts with vented cuffs and lace embroidery details that were a more tame take on the deconstructed shirt trend the designers made famous at their more wild child brand, Monse.  

“We hope Oscar would be proud,” Garcia said backstage, explaining that the collection stemmed from a 2014 trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s medieval-themed Cloisters that the designers took with Oscar himself.

Garcia and Kim are very business savvy, and it was surely not a coincidence that the collection with its rich velvets, papal red, high-neck silhouettes, delicate pearl details, unicorn, botanical and other ecclesiastical motifs also puts the brand in prime position to dress Hollywood guests at the upcoming May 7 Met Gala, with its holy theme of “Heavenly Bodies.” And Ehrlich, for one, was watching. “Awards season is done,” she said matter-of-factly. “We’re well into Met Gala prep now.”