Oscar De La Renta shows exclusive collection in Sydney overnight to mixed reviews

A glitzy affair.

As an Aussie fashion writer, the idea that I was invited to an Oscar De La Renta show at Carriageworks seemed a little odd at first: I mean, this is an iconic international design house that has dressed the likes of Jackie O and SJP (both kweens, btw). But maybe that’s just the chip on my shoulder speaking – well, why can’t we have ODLR showing couture at MBFWA?

In case you were wondering, Etihad made it all possible, through a worldwide collaboration between the airline and WME/IMG. They recruited the stunning Shanina Shaik for the runway show. It was a glitzy affair – even seating guru Miro Kubicek was wearing a bow tie – and perhaps the air of excitement about the design house gracing us with our presence got us all a little overexcited. Until the waiting started, that is.

If being fashionably late indicates a level of style, then Oscar of course had to be the latest of all. The runway didn’t get underway until over an hour after the appointed starting time. But it was worth the wait – well, kind of.

Criticism has abounded following the collection’s showing – an exclusive coup for Australia, by the way – with fashion journalists throwing not-so-subtle barbs at the ‘summer’ capsule. From describing it as a ‘facsimile’ of an Oscar collection, to alleging it was unfocused, it seemed that most were miffed that Creative Director Peter Copping didn’t make the journey down under to deliver the show personally. He was, unfortunately, delivering a resort collection in New York instead.

Perhaps the #feels were more about the idea that a weighty international designer can draw every media outlet in town out of the woodwork and yet, most of our amazing local designers couldn’t dream of that kind of coverage. Even during fashion week.

Personally, I thought it was stunning: ornate jewel-toned ball gowns and heavily detailed separates brought me back to old school glamour – a lost time when you’d wear your Sunday Best on a flight, or when dress codes really meant something. That a designer can deliver, just simply, a beautiful collection of gorgeous things could maybe teach our critics a thing or two about the spectacle that the runway has become. Perhaps Maticevski didn’t NEED diamante ball gags. Perhaps his gowns were just beautiful. But that’s all I read about after his runway… and I’m guilty of writing mostly about that too.

In this digital age of clickable headlines and media reports in 180 characters, perhaps something beautiful just isn’t enough. But it is for me.

Via @_thesecondrow