Oscar de la Renta: Vogue Patterns, Part 2

Sarah Mower, Oscar de la Renta (Assouline, 2nd ed. 2014) Photo: Peter Lindbergh. Editor: Grace Coddington. Image: my luscious life.

Oscar de la Renta was born in July 1932; he would have turned 84 last week. In honour of his birthday, I’ll be looking at Oscar de la Renta sewing patterns from the 1990s and 2000s. (See Part 1 here.)

1990s

Vogue 2460 by Oscar de la Renta on the cover of Vogue Patterns, March/April 1990. (Patricia Underwood hat.) Photo: Otto Stupakoff. Image: eBay.

The 1990s marked Oscar de la Renta’s fourth decade with Vogue Patterns. From 1990, Vogue 2500 is a dress with pleated overlay and asymmetrical bias collar, chic in a polka dot print. De la Renta was pictured with a model wearing this design in the May/June issue of Vogue Patterns magazine:

Vogue 2500 by Oscar de la Renta (1990) Image: Etsy.

In 1992, de la Renta became the first American to take over a French couture house when he was appointed chief designer at Balmain. He had begun presenting his own collection in Paris the previous year. (See Suzy Menkes, “De la Renta Joins Balmain.”) The cover of the Assouline book pictured above shows Balmain haute couture; a similar tableau was created for the de Young retrospective.

Vogue 1638 is a brightly coloured skirt suit from Oscar de la Renta’s Spring 1995 collection (full video on YouTube here). Its tailored details, like the jacket’s back pleats and martingale belt, won it an Advanced skill rating. The design was featured in a Vogue Patterns suits article (see The Overflowing Stash) and on the cover of the counter catalogue:

Vogue 1638 Oscar de la Renta (1995) Image: eBay.

Vogue Patterns catalogue, October 1995. Image via Etsy.

This double-breasted skirt suit, shown on the runway in pink satin, must be from the Fall 1995 collection. The recommended fabrics are satin, damask, and gabardine:

Vogue 1863 by Oscar de la Renta (1996)

Ellen von Unwerth photographed Stella Tennant in a corseted lace Oscar de la Renta dress with flamenco dancer Joaquín Cortés for Vogue’s 1996 September issue:

Stella Tennant in Oscar de la Renta, with Joaquín Cortés, Vogue, September 1996. Photo: Ellen von Unwerth. Editor: Grace Coddington.

Two years later, Hillary Clinton wore Oscar de la Renta for her Vogue cover (more here):

Hillary Clinton in custom Oscar de la Renta, Vogue, December 1998. Photo: Annie Leibovitz. Editor: Paul Cavaco. Image: eBay.

Vogue 2361 is a formal dress from the Spring 1998 collection. The skirt is cut on the bias, the bodice and hemline flounces are finished with self fabric binding, and view A has an asymmetrical train. Kirsten Owen modelled the original on the runway:

Vogue 2361 by Oscar de la Renta (1999)

Oscar de la Renta Spring/Summer 1998. Model: Kirsten Owen. Image: firstVIEW.

Just for fun, here’s another editorial photo showing de la Renta’s couture work at Balmain. Ruven Afanador photographed this lace-embroidered gown with matching chihuahua:

Pierre Balmain haute couture by Oscar de la Renta, Vogue Paris, September 1999. Photo: Ruven Afanador. Image via The Fashion Spot.

2000s

This floral print evening dress is a design from de la Renta’s Spring 2000 collection. Piping defines the waist, and the bias train is trimmed with waist pleats and flounces. The original was modelled on the runway by Carmen Kass:

Vogue 2541 by Oscar de la Renta (2001)

Oscar de la Renta Spring/Summer 2000. Model: Carmen Kass. Image: vogue.com.

The Fall 2001 collection included two “decidedly gothic black opera coats,” and Vogue Patterns chose one of them for its customers. Vogue 2714 is a full-sleeved, floor-length opera coat trimmed with frog closures and pleated ruffles. The pattern is sometimes numbered “P935 – Best Seller”:

Vogue 2714 / P935 by Oscar de la Renta (2002) Image: Etsy.

Oscar de la Renta Fall/Winter 2001. Model: Natalia Semanova. Image via vogue.com.

From the Spring 2005 collection, strapless gown pattern Vogue 2889 evokes flamenco with its tiered skirt and draped, drop-waist bodice. The design was shown on the runway with length and bodice variations:

Vogue 2889 by Oscar de la Renta (2006)

Oscar de la Renta Spring/Summer 2005. Models: Caroline Ribeiro and Caroline Winberg. Image: vogue.com.

Vogue 2928 is a grand, off-the-shoulder ballgown complete with boned foundation, attached petticoat, and self fabric flowers and appliqués. The gown was the penultimate look in de la Renta’s Fall 2005 collection:

Vogue 2928 by Oscar de la Renta (2006) Image: ecrater.

Oscar de la Renta Fall/Winter 2005. Model: Nataliya Gotsii. Image: vogue.com.

For more on the late designer, see Vogue’s retrospective. Have you made any Oscar de la Renta patterns?

Kirsten Dunst in custom Oscar de la Renta, Vogue, September 2006. Photo: Annie Leibovitz. Editor: Grace Coddington. Image: vogue.com.