Oscar De La Renta: The Retrospective

A full-scale retrospective of Oscar de la Renta’s work, this magnificent volume, which accompanies an exhibition at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, features the designs that defined the fashion icon’s long career. In this fabulous book, readers will be immersed in the designs that made Oscar de la Renta one of fashion’s most influential designers, who dressed celebrities, American First Ladies, and socialites from around the world. Thematic sections will trace de la Renta’s journey, from his upbringing in the Dominican Republic; the rise of his career in Spain, where he gained his first commissions; his formative years spent in the world’s preeminent fashion houses; and the eventual creation of the company that bears his name. Luxurious color illustrations include images from his historic 1973 fashion show at Versailles, his designs worn from the red carpet to the White House by glamor icons such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Taylor Swift, along with state dinner–worthy creations made exclusively for Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush. In addition, historic images from de la Renta’s archives illuminate both the breadth and depth of the designer’s work. André Leon Talley’s heartfelt introduction looks back on a long and treasured friendship, and the authors examine the designer’s artistry and technique, as well as the historical and cultural influences that fostered his visionary work in this elaborate tribute to a singular individual.

Jennifer Park is a fashion historian and co-curator of the exhibitions Oscar de la Renta: American Icon and Oscar de la Renta: Five Decades of Style. Molly Sorkin was Associate Curator of Costume at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and has curated Oscar de la Renta exhibitions.