Couture dresses that graced red carpets and bedecked first ladies now adorn mannequins in a gallery on the third floor of the Clinton Presidential Center.
The stark white figures are a contrast to vibrant romantic dresses, glittering evening gowns and textile-rich garments on display. These designs by Oscar de la Renta are part of a one of a kind exhibition compiled especially for the library: “Oscar de la Renta: American Icon.”
The idea for the exhibit came from former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as a way to celebrate her friendship with de la Renta, as well as honor him for his 50th anniversary as an American designer.
“[Clinton] is very good friends with Mr. de la Renta - he has dressed her for every single mile-stone in her life,” explains Joy Secuban, exhibit project manager with the William J. Clinton Foundation.
De la Renta curated the exhibit and meticulously chose dresses that have meaning to him. The first set represents his childhood in the Dominican Republic, with florals and garden pastels. The next set represents Madrid, with bustling dresses, lace mantillas and flamenco hats (in addition to other garments influenced by Uzbekistan and Turkestan cultures). A third set represents Paris, where he learned French couture. A fourth pays tribute to first ladies he has dressed. A fifth has gowns worn by some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
STRIKE A POSE
Behind large-pane hot pink doors, several gowns worn in Vogue are displayed. The collection comprises a citrine silk velvet dress worn for the May cover by The Great Gatsby actress Carey Mulligan; an embroidered sage silk faille gown, with carnation-pink silk taffeta appliques worn by Asia Major models in the December 2010 edition; and a reproduction silk velvet dress worn by Clinton for the December 1998 cover issue, as the first first lady to grace the cover of the magazine.
Also included in the collection are privately owned coats with all-over embroidery and fur (that took more than 80 hours of skilled workmanship to construct); a couture evening ensemble with matching jewel-encrusted heels made for Pierre Balmain’s fashion line (inspired by 18th-century French fashion); a pant suit worn by Clinton when she was sworn into the U.S. Senate; and a strapless gold lace gown worn by Chelsea Clinton to Carnegie Hall.
FASHION-FORWARD FIRST LADIES
In the last four decades, de la Renta has also adorned four fashion-forward first ladies.
Part of the first ladies set includes a cashmere and wool dress worn by first lady Nancy Reagan in 1988 - this is the only dress in the exhibit that does not look vintage and stands the test of time as a wear-in-any-decade garment (many of the dresses in the collection look retro chic but are less than 10 years old).
Also included is a reproduction of a beige and gold silk satin and tulle gown worn in 1997 by Hillary Clinton during the second inauguration for her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and a covert couture cashmere day suit worn in 2008 by Laura Bush for the White House “Red, White and Blue Christmas.” He also dressed Betty Ford.
ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET
Hollywood starlets have been wearing de la Renta’s designs since his emergence into the American fashion industry five decades ago. This specific assortment is more relevant to younger generations because they have seen these dresses on some of their favorite stars.
“I think this is a really great set for kids to identify with,” Secuban says. “Like Taylor Swift, these are the people they have seen on television and identify with.”
The set includes a strapless gold-sequined dress worn in January by Jennifer Garner to the 19th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards; a shimmering metallic pleated platine gown with a twisted waist wrap worn in 2012 by Jessica Chastain at the Orange British Academy Film Awards; a silver-beaded asymmetrical tassel dress worn in 2011 by Anne Hathaway as she hosted the 83rd Academy Awards; a gold tulle embroidered dress worn in 2012 by Taylor Swift to the Ripple of Hope Gala; and the gown worn in 2004 by Sarah Jessica Parker at the curtain call for the Balanchine Centennial Gala.
Never before have Arkansans been able to see such couture up close, says Clinton Foundation spokesman Jordan Johnson: “The Clinton Center is the venue that opens Arkansas up to the world.”
The collection is a one-of-a-kind temporary exhibit and will never be shown again in its entirety.
“Oscar de la Renta: American Icon” continues through Dec. 1 at the Clinton Presidential Center, 1200 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for children ages 6-17 and free for ages 5 and younger. The library is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Visit clintonlibrary.gov or call (501) 374-4242.
Style, Pages 27 on 06/25/2013