Legend - an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field.
Of course as everyone has heard by now the great Oscar De La Renta has passed away due to a battle with cancer. When I first saw that he passed I wasn’t surprised at all, a tad bit sadden but the first thing I thought was the fact that I got to witness a living legend. Now I may not have gotten to witness him is prime but I’m very aware on his impact to not only fashion but American society.
His death triggered a 3 hour “thinking session” last night that made me ask myself how do you become a legend? I mean we all know of them from artist, musicians and politicians but what does it take to be called a legend? As I lay in bed last night on my phone and listening to some music I browsed countless collections of Mr. De La Renta’s and I realized how much of a basic aesthetic he used while designing. His focus was easy and effortless; the staple of elegance and he focused on making woman feel comfortable in their clothing. Oscar once said “I design clothes for women to wear. I am not interested in shock tactics. I just want to make beautiful clothes.” It’s so simple yet complex. I feel like designers today focus on the that “shock tactic”, I get taking a more artistic angle to designing but it’s almost like the “art” aspect is more important than the actually function of the clothing. If you look at each of his collections and years of designing’s for Balmain his root aesthetic never changed, which was elegance. Elegance will forever be the core value of his brand, and that’s something that takes a gift, and commitment to ones vision to succeed at it. And that brings me to what makes a legend?
To become “legendary”…a word I feel my generation through around so freely now is something of monumental proportion. A legend is a person that’s few and far between, who kept true to their vision and wasn’t afraid to try something new and inspired all walks of life. Oscar De La Renta became a legend simply because he made clothing for woman the way HE wanted to. Not according to the trends or shocking and uncomfortable silhouettes by his fellow designers. He decided what his aesthetic would be early on and stuck to it. I think being true to your own aesthetic makes you legendary. You see designers and musicians tweaking their sound and design to “stay current” forgetting the true essence of their individual beauty. Now granted Oscar De La Renta is a pioneer in American Fashion and one of the go to designers for celebrities and first ladies alike but who inspired him to pursue his dreams and do things his own way? Oscar is an example of believing in your vison. After his days of designing for Lanvin and Balenciaga he knew that Ready to Wear was where the money was and he knew how to execute his plan, just simply go with what you know.
So many times my generation will “find their nitch” and want to grow in it but start taking the route of others before them only to find that path may not be for them. And I’m not going to lie, I’ve fell victim to that. Comparing myself to others, trying to do what they did. But it comes a point where you know what you want to convey, how you want to be perceived and how you’re going to execute your plan, and believe me I’m still getting there. So I don’t take Oscar De La Rentas death as a “loss” it’s a historic and legendary story of triumph proving that if you stay true to your aesthetic you too may become legendary.
Rest in Peace to the great Óscar Arístides Renta Fiallo July 22, 1932 – October 20, 2014
