Printed in WWD for the whole industry to see, Oscar is calling out the famous New York Times fashion critic on her negativity. This is interesting because earlier this week, I read her write-up on the weekend shows - which was really a love letter to Marc Jacobs that merely mentions the other designer in NYC - I thought to myself wow, was that called for? She made backhanded compliments to industry veterans and complimented the new kids with their sometimes non-existing construction skills. I was confused, did she have a bone to pick or was she merely being a great journalist by being completely honest and bringing the news to the people? I noticed on Tuesday how her reports on Ralph Rucci's beautiful collection affected the usually more upbeat designer. She wrote a very short paragraph, no mention of his brilliance or optimism and sly compliments that could hardly be considered thus by anyone. He was seemingly less upbeat all day.
Oscar must have gotten fed up! Well good for him. When you are a seasoned designer and you put your heart and soul into every collection (especially when you have been doing it for 30 - 50 years like Oscar and Ralph) you get tired of these people who sit on their thrones & wreak havoc with only a pen swipe.
I do not profess to know the whole situation. Yet I see Oscar's point, (even though I feel that an open letter in WWD is a bit over the top) he is a professional and one with a great track record. His customer clearly is pleased with his work or he would not have lasted for so long. You can state your opinion on the clothes, it is your right, but when you attack the person you are wrong. There is a thin line between designer and celebrity. Cathy is not a member of the paparazzi, she works for the Times.
Read for yourself:
Cathy's report on Oscar's presentation
"The rest, like Oscar de la Renta’s ruffled latex tops in Easter-egg colors, is just for show. ---- Mr. de la Renta is far more a hot dog than an éminence grise of American fashion. He opened his lively show on Tuesday with a red latex pencil skirt, a sleek ivory wool pantsuit and dairymaid lace. The models’ hair was streaked with war paint, and midway along, after bead-quivering jackets and neon-bright skirts, he sent out white lace with black pencil-like scribbles. It was wonderfully cantankerous, a good bit of window-dressing for the gooey stuff that followed".
Cathy's views on Ralph Rucci's presentation
"It was great to see Ralph Rucci loosen his aesthetic, strip away the embellishment (apart from cheeky feathers) and discover a sexier attitude. He freely used hot shades of pink and yellow, with cool white, and kept the shapes crisp. Simple day dresses have always been a hidden strength of Mr. Rucci’s. He should do more".