My sources tell me that Oscar de la Renta is stacking the deck of his design studio. It seems he has hired away a pivotal player from the couture studio of John Galliano for Christian Dior. John Galliano is NOT amused. Galliano is the king of couture and known for his fantastical collections season after season. Clearly a bold move for Oscar.
ODLR is looking to add a level of sophistication to his studio. There have been rumors for some time that Oscar is looking to sell the company - however - despite several product licensees, there is no meat and potatoes to the collection. While Oscar is internationally known as THE cocktail or ball gown resource, the company has failed numerous attempts over the last 4 years to make the collection younger and more relevant. ODLR denies there is any intent to sell the company.
Bringing in a couture designer must mean that Oscar has decided to go the other direction and take his design status to another level. To design any collection after working on Dior Couture will be a daunting task! However, if there is any American designer who could warrant the move, it would be ODLR. Who else has the legacy of this icon? His only peer in Couture would be Ralph Rucci.
Stay Tuned!