First Lady Fashion Statement

“My understanding is that the visit was to promote American-Chinese trade — American products in China and Chinese products in America. Why do you wear European clothes?”

- Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta on Sustainable Fashion

“Sustainable fashion implies a commitment to the traditional techniques, and not just the art, of making clothes. I work today in the same way that I first learnt in the ateliers of Balenciaga and Lanvin 50 years ago. We need to ensure that the next generation of seamstresses and tailors have the skills necessary to develop clothes that are not only beautiful but extremely well made.”

High Fashion Faces a Redefining Moment

Thakoon Panichgul in his SoHo studio during a fitting. Though successful in his career, he is pessimistic about larger trends. (Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times)

by Cathy Horyn

The fabric in the hands of Thakoon Panichgul, one of Michelle Obama’s favorite designers, is exquisite. An Italian jacquard, woven from yarns of eight different colors, it costs $100 a yard. A dress that Mr. Panichgul plans to make from the cloth for his runway show next week will cost $2,000.

He lets it fall away. It troubles Mr. Panichgul that as much as people love beautiful clothes, they do not understand why they cost so much. “It’s becoming a losing battle,” he said.

Designer fashion — the creative wellspring of the American apparel industry, the engine of style magazines, the stuff of plain old dreams — is experiencing a serious case of the blues. As another show season rolls out across the city, against the chilliest retail climate in years, many believe this is not merely a difficult moment for high-end fashion but a defining one as well.

Here is the reality: More and more people shop at H & M and other purveyors of cheap chic. Factories offering fine craftsmanship in Italy and New York are closing as business moves to China. Consumers do not see longevity in the clothes they buy. “I think the true designer business is in trouble, no question about it,” said a senior buying executive at Macy’s, declining to speak on the record because of the company’s policies.

With shoppers afraid to spend, department stores cut orders for fall goods by 30 percent. For next spring — the collections being shown during New York Fashion Week through Sept. 17 — little improvement is seen.

“In my 40 years in fashion, I’ve never seen women scared to shop — at all price levels,” said Vera Wang, who sells $1,000 dresses at stores like Bergdorf Goodman and also has a low-priced line at Kohl’s.

Retailers have pressured designers like Ms. Wang to lower their prices. Anyone walking through an empty store in recent months could see why this was necessary. On Tuesday, Neiman Marcus reported a $668 million loss for the year. The luxury chain said the latest quarterly sales at stores open at least a year fell 23 percent from the period a year ago. Saks posted a 16 percent drop. On Thursday, the industry tried to excite people with after-hours shopping at stores around the city, called Fashion’s Night Out.

Makers of high-end fashion wonder how far they can drop prices without diminishing their prestige, or cutting corners that might compromise their creativity.

Ms. Wang said she cut prices for her resort collection this year by 40 percent, but was told by some stores that those $600 to $800 dresses were maybe too low for a designer brand.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Ms. Wang said, referring to the future of prestigious labels. “It’s going to be a world of crepe de Chine.”

Although designer fashion accounts for only a small portion of the $191 billion apparel industry in the United States, and many consumers would not mourn the disappearance of $2,000 dresses from the racks, the creativity of runway collections inspires looks in the mass market and sets trends that entice shoppers back into stores season after season, fueling a vast segment of the economy.

In the 40 years since modern ready-to-wear came into existence in Europe and America, and made household names of Ralph, Calvin and Donna, designers have enjoyed enormous respect and prosperity. However, in the past few years, they have lost some face with consumers. Their clothes became exotically pricey as they courted celebrities and did quick-and-dirty deals with makers of fast fashion.

This week the situation reached a nadir of sorts when the Paris house Emanuel Ungaro — once the pride and joy of the Upper East Side — announced that it had hired Lindsay Lohan as its artistic adviser.

Another impact of recession-driven designing is a retreat to more predictable styles, a repetition of the safe looks that sold well in previous seasons. The designer Elie Tahari, whose labels generate about $500 million in sales, is focusing on dresses, animal prints and leggings and slim pants worn with tunics.

“Fashion has to be new and wearable and there has to be a need to it,” he said. Mr. Tahari has cut prices by 30 percent and closed a handbag factory he had in Italy to move that production to China.

Even Oscar de la Renta, the very emblem of high-end New York design, known for $4,000 and $5,000 dresses and suits, plans to offer a $1,500 dress in his spring line to meet retailers’ demands.

And although he recently bought a local garment factory that had planned to close, to help maintain his label’s craft standards, he has also sought out less expensive suppliers in Asia and Eastern Europe.

In his Seventh Avenue studio, Mr. de la Renta pointed to a sleeveless black dress with two knitted, frilly panels. The panels, done in Romania and combined with an Italian wool, will help keep the price of the dress down to $2,500. And Mr. de la Renta likes a silk faille that he gets from a mill in South Korea. Aside from the price — it costs a third of what Italian faille does — he likes the look.

“Listen, Prada has been using it for years,” he said.(...)

Read the rest of the story at newyorktimes.com. A version of this article appeared in print on September 11, 2009, on page A1 of the New York edition.

Oscar Recants

“She’s entitled to wear anything she wants to. I may have chosen my words badly, and I regret it.”
Oscar de la Renta

Speaking about the comments he made on Michelle Obama's choice of fashion designers

Wedded Bliss: Backstage at Spring 2010 Oscar Bridal- Links a la Mode

Photos: Ray Chang

Oscar Takes Contention with Michelle's Royal Outfit

"You don't...go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater."
Oscar de la Renta

commenting on the outfit Michelle Obama wore to meet Queen Elizabeth

Talking Art and Fashion with Ray Chang: Links a la Mode

Watercolor by Ray Chang

Ray Chang is Art Director at Oscar de la Renta. His blog fancygreysuit, serves as an outlet for his artistic talent and philosophical musings. Style Gourmand spoke with him about his thoughts on art, fashion and life.

I always think of fashion as a fine balance between art and business, one can't survive very long in the fashion without mastering both: As an art-minded person do you see think art still exists in fashion, or is it just strictly business?

I think that it’s more of trying to inject a little bit of art into business. But it’s mainly business. In these times, who can afford not to think that way? You’ll always have brands who push the boundaries of ‘commerce’ like Comme des Garcons, which is refreshing.

Have you always had an interest in fashion or is it just an occupational hazard?

I’ve always had an interest in the pictures, much less on the clothes. My favorite book of Marilyn photographs by Bert Stern, Herb Ritts, Richard Avedon, those pictures really invoked something within me. That’s why I got into art direction, not fashion design (which I’d probably be terrible at anyway). The fashion industry to me is just a form in which I can tell stories.

How did you get into the fashion industry?

I got into the fashion industry by happenstance. My first job out of art school was to work on the Dockers account in San Francisco. I was hired by this really talented art director named Robert Lussier who now works in Paris on Dior. After that, we both went to New York, and I’ve had the pleasure on working on brands such as Gap, John Varvatos, Henri Bendel, Levi’s, Ann Taylor, K-Swiss and now, Oscar de la Renta.

What was the biggest difference you noticed in dress when you moved to nyc from the west coast?

More coats. You have to be a little more buttoned up here in New York. People won’t take you seriously otherwise. When I go back to LA though, it’s back to the white t shirt, shorts and a clean white pair of Vans.

Even though you didn't intend to have a career in fashion, you definitely have a distinct sense of personal style- how would you describe it?

Do I? (laughing). As I’ve gotten older (age withheld), it’s easier just to wear the basics. There are some pieces, or looks that have withstood the test of time, and everyone looks good in them. Simple. Except my socks. I like colored socks.

What's so great about American fashion?

American fashion is great because, like America, it’s so diverse. You have people of all cultures, and even things that are inherently American, have roots in England. Because of this, our fashion has no boundaries.

Tell me about fancygreysuit, especially the significance of the name to you.

fancygreysuit is a site where I put up all the random thoughts in my head and my drawings. They’re quick visual journals into things I’m thinking about, love, or comments on the world. I like things that look a bit innocent, where they’re seen with a bit of wonder, but hopefully, have a little bit of depth to them. When you’re young, you always have that one thing that you wish you had, whether it be a suit, or for a woman, a beautiful dress. And when you put it on, you’re more alive somehow.. And everyone should have a fancy grey suit. I’m still looking for mine.

Do you think all the constant buzz about what Michelle Obama will make people more aware of how they look and maybe have a positive impact on how women in America dress?

I think it will be not so much about her per se, but them together. You have a magical first couple that brings us back to the days of Camelot. And that has an aspirational effect on how we not only perceive them and America, but ourselves.

Complete the sentence: everyone looks good in _somebody’s arms.

Who would be your celebrity muse?

Marcello Mastroianni.

Since you started your career outside the fashion industry, do you still consider yourself a fashion outsider or are you now an insider?

Always on the outside looking in, but happy that it is the way it is. Don’t get too close to the fire!

- Style Gourmand

Oscar de la Renta Fall 2009