Fashion Review: Oscar De La Renta Fall 2010

Oscar de la Renta introduces his Fall 2010 collection with colors that look like they belong on the trees in Litchfield County, those beautiful rolling hills in the western half of Connecticut. These rich jewel shades of plum, auburn, teal, gold, and forest green are colors that form dresses, suits, coats, and accessories. Oscar takes his inspiration for these designs from past decades and transforms them into artistic clothes for the modern woman.

Coats with contrasting boa-style ruffle collars like the red one seen here and the teal coat with black fur along the hem evoke images from a decade of long ago, perhaps the 1920's or 1930's. While the style is similar to coats from that decade, it is the length which makes these garments more modern and fashionable.

Evening dresses from de la Renta's fall collection blend classic lines with sculpted forms which could pass for very original origami shapes. The royal blue dress seen here has a pouch located on the left side, with a pleated bow at the right strap of the dress. This dress could very well have been designed by draping, a method which allows greater freedom of creativity for the designer. Another dress from the fall collection that really stands out is this rich mauve one with a floral print in black, complete with a black tulle petticoat, piece of netting draped across the shoulder blades, and a black satin rose at the left shoulder strap to top off the look. The drapes of the skirt are almost Victorian in style, maybe more of a mature Gothic Lolita look for today's American woman. This would look wonderful on a ballroom dance floor, or at a formal cocktail party.

Oscar doesn't leave out the office, which plays a role in many a career woman's life. This two-piece suit with a narrow leather belt contains a small, muted design of bronze, black, and white which is conservative enough for the workplace. Matching pump shoes complete the look. The other dress that really stands out for me is this plum one with a scoop neckline and stained glass panel shapes in the bodice. This dress is perfect not only for the office, but also for day wear, whether you are running errands or out to lunch with a social club. I like the black belt here but you can also substitute a metallic bronze belt with this dress for an alternate seasonal look.

Oscar de la Renta's high end fashions can be purchased through Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and his boutique in New York City.

http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/2010/fall/main/newyork/womenrunway/oscardelarenta/

http://www.oscardelarenta.com/