Oscar de la Renta Outfit - Sorry Pic Heavy

No signs of hem mark at all. It really appears as though the dress was actually LONGER at one point rather than shorter. If it had been shorter, it would have had a negative impact on the bottom decoration. It honestly looks as though someone rough cut a piece off and then put the hem tape on to finish it as opposed to putting in a nice hem. Luckily, plenty of room to play and get done right.

Am going to get fixed and get on a live model ASAP. Can't wait!

Thank you!!!!!!!
 
Everywhere else I have read the history of the de la Renta RTW label is that before 69 it reads 'Oscar de la Renta for Jane Derby' - I even own a dress with that label. I think Oscar de la Renta's website is actually wrong! I suspect someone didn't check facts carefully enough, or it got edited into no longer being factually correct. That sort of stuff happens all the time. I am quite sure 1969 is the first year for Oscar's RTW lines under his own name. He didn't start doing couture again until 1973.

The one thing that bothers me about your hem is that the bodice has been carefully cut to use the design symetrically, with the borders, but the skirt is cut off mid way through the design. It should be bordered. I suspect it may have been one of those midi styles that was shortened later. If not, its actually a terrible design flaw, but it is unionized labour for a RTW line, so maybe it was cut that way, in which case I think its a shame.
 
hoping for quick answer

On way to high end tailor. Am pondering having this taken up to the gold band (for lack of better description) so that the bottom will match the waistband. My bet is that someone chopped the bottom which probably ended with that band

So bad idea? Good idea? Will make dress more the length of coat too.
 
Do you suppose OdlR has old files or an archive and you could contact them and try find out what the hemline was originally? I think if you chop it so that it just has the narrow band that the dress will look unbalanced. Does it appear that the coat was shortened? I wonder if the coat was originally shorter than the dress - sort of a 3/4 coat and the borders matched?

Linn
 
I checked several sources including 'New York Fashion" - Oscar de la Renta. did start his own label in 1965. From wikipedia "De la Renta proceeded to work for Arden for two years before he in 1965 went to work for Jane Derby and launched his own label. When Derby died in August 1965 Oscar de la Renta took over the label." The identical information is in NY Fashion.

I'm sure from what I read that this ensemble was quite expensive when it was new. Great find and I would definitely not over-shorten it and try to find out what it was originally.

Linn
 
My poor tailor - she thinks I am a loon already! lol

Just sent off an email to ODLR - was only email address I could find on their website so not holding out too much hope for response. Will keep searching for better contact and just have tailor hold off. For the record - she HATED my idea to shorten up to the band! I actually liked the way it looked as it matched waistband but I wear cargo pants and t-shirts everyday so what do I know! At this point, I do think patience is the key and that you are all right in that I should try to get some answers. She has the dress and I can just have her hold onto til I figure out. Dont want to make a bad hemline worse!!! :)

I can really picture the dress much longer than it is right now. From the material underneath - you can see where someone chopped it off and sewed on the ribbon. So sad - what were they thinking? From what I could see of estate, I am guessing the woman who had this didnt think much about money so probably didnt really care much about the outfit as far as possibly devaluing. When I win the lottery, I hope to have same issues!!! :)

Thanks all again for input - if I hear back from ODLR, will let you know but not holding my breath at all. Trying to research online to see if I can find anything remotely similar to get an idea but no luck.

If I lived near anyone, I would definetely be buying the drinks to say thanks for all the help.
 
Here is the definitive answer and I can submit a bibliography for a price!:

Oscar de la Renta partnered with Ben and Gerald Shaw to purchase Jane Derby - a Seventh Avenue ready-to-wear firm known for after 5 wear. Derby was preparing to retire after a thirty year career in fashion and sold her business to de la Renta and the Shaws shortly before she died. Oscar de la Renta had a secure and well paid position with Elizabeth Arden, but the opportunity to own a third of Jane Derby and to turn it into his own company was too good an opportunity to miss. Oscar de la Renta had been designing for other people so his name was still unknown and so he used the label 'Oscar de la Renta for Jane Derby' for several years while he made a name for himself. The exact date of when he dropped the 'Jane Derby' from the label is not defined anywhere I could find.

In 1967, de la Renta married Françoise de la Langlade, editor-in-chief of French Vogue. With her help he received important publicity and high end clientelle. Later that year he received a Coty award and in 1968 he received another Coty, as well as a Neiman Marcus award. One reference says he produced his first Oscar de la Renta collection without the use of Jane Derby's name in 1968, however, the name of Jane Derby's company was not officially changed to Oscar de la Renta until 1969 when fashion giant Richton International (aka Coro of costume jewellery fame) bought de la Renta's company. For the next four years de la Renta served on Richton's board of directors and was the CEO of four divisions of the company: Oscar de la Renta, Oscar de la Renta II, Oscar de la Renta Furs, and Oscar de la Renta Jewelry. Oscar de la Renta was the first fashion company in the U.S. to offer its stock to the public, however, in 1973 he reclaimed ownership of his organization and it became Oscar de la Renta Limited.

So it sounds like the business was a bit messy for a few years. I can see why the company skips over the details and just says he was designing under his own name since 1965, because he was, but he did use the 'for Jane Derby' label until 1968 or 1969 when he was better known.
 
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