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OSCAR DE LA RENTA HONORED
WITH THE
2012 COUTURE COUNCIL AWARD
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center
AWARD LUNCHEON BENEFITS THE MUSEUM AT FIT
UNDERWITTEN BY AMERICAN EXPRESS
With Generous Sponsorship By
Oscar de la Renta and Saks Fifth Avenue
The Couture Council of The Museum at the Fashion Institute
of Technology (MFIT) honored Oscar de la Renta with
its 2012 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion on
Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at a benefit luncheon at the
David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
presented the award to Mr. de la Renta. The event was
generously underwritten by American Express, with
additional sponsorship by Oscar de la Renta and
Saks Fifth Avenue. As
has become the tradition, this luncheon heralds the arrival
of Fall Fashion Week. The luncheon raised approximately one
million dollars.
The luncheon chairs were Eleanora Kennedy, Alexandra
Lebenthal, and The Honorable Daphne Guinness. The
honorary luncheon chair was Annette de la Renta.
Notable guests
included Sarah Jessica
Parker, Barbara Walters, Anna Wintour, Dr. and Mrs. Henry
Kissinger, Stephanie Seymour-Brant,
Barbara Bush, Jenna Bush, Simon Doonan, Diane von
Furstenburg, Nina Garcia, Carolina Herrera, Narciso
Rodriguez, Joan Smalls, Martha Stewart, Diana Taylor, and
Robert Verdi, as
well as Iris Apfel, Fabiola Arias, Glenda Bailey, Dennis
Basso, Serena Boardman, Alex and Eliza Bolen, Geoffrey
Bradfield, Mario Buatta, Sharon Bush, Buffy Cafritz, Claudia
Cisneros, Victor Costa, Matilda Cuomo, Amy Fine Collins,
Matilda Cuomo, Christina Davis, John Dempsey, Ken Downing,
Tiffany Dubin, Renaud Dutreil, Linda Fargo, Fe Fendi, Pamela
Fiori, Cornelia Guest, Jamee Gregory, Audrey Gruss, Agnes
Gund, Susan Gutfreund, Duane Hampton, Mai Harrison, Kathleen
Hearst, Marlene Hess, Jane Holzer, Kenneth Jay Lane, Eric
Javitz, Mariana Kaufman, Alexandra Kotur, Richard Lambertson,
Karen LeFrak, Jaqui Lividini, Sharon Loeb, Shirley Lord,
Carol Mack, Chris Madden, Robin Burns-McNeill, Charlotte
Moss, Patricia Underwood Moynihan, Lynn Nesbit, Helen
O'Hagan, Lisa Perry, John and Laura Pomerantz,
Candy Pratts Price,
Emily Rafferty, Judith Ripka, Alexandra Lind Rose, Hilary
Ross, John Rosselli, Steven Stolman, Nadja Swarovski, Lizzie
Tisch, Barbara Tober, Stefano Tonchi, John Truex, Bronson
and Mimi Van Wyke, Jacqueline Weld, Bunny Williams, Eliane
Wynn, and Joe
Zee. The luncheon was sold out, hosting more than 600
guests.
Dr. Joyce F. Brown,
president of FIT, announced that The Museum at FIT has
received the highest national recognition for a museum –
accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).
Accreditation, which is awarded to only 4.5 percent of
America’s estimated 17,500 museums and less than 1% of
college and university museums, signifies the highest level
of excellence.
The Oscar de la Renta Scholarship,
which was established by an anonymous donor to provide
support to young designers at FIT, was also announced. The
scholarship honors Mr. de la Renta and encourages an FIT
student who shows great potential. The inaugural Oscar de la
Renta scholar is Macshella Oduro from Queens, New
York. Ms. Oduro, who received her AAS degree in Fashion
Design from FIT, is currently enrolled in FIT’s BFA Fashion
Design program, as well as the college’s Haute Couture
Certificate Program. She has been selected to study in
Europe during the 2012-13 academic year at FIT’s program in
Milan, the Politecnico di Milano.
The event began with cocktails on the orchestra level of the
David H. Koch Theater. Guests were then ushered into the
theater’s promenade for a three-course luncheon. The menu
began with an appetizer of carved papaya filled with
honeydew and watermelon, plus hearts of palm, all served on
a tropical leaf. The main course was roasted halibut (with
lemon, fennel, and capers), haricots verts, and orzo (with
pepper confetti and cilantro). The dessert course was cold
apricot soufflé, fresh raspberries, and miniature brownie
rounds. Each table was decorated with multiple arrangements
of Mr. de la Renta’s favorite flower, the deep red
carnation. Bronson van Wyck designed the flower arrangements.
Dr. Brown
said, “We are so pleased to honor this great American
designer, who, through his timeless and elegant designs, is
a legend to all those who love fashion. Oscar de la Renta
is an inspiration, not only to students of fashion,
including FIT’s talented students, but to his fellow
designers as well.”
Dr. Valerie Steele,
director of The Museum at FIT, noted, “Oscar de la Renta is
a true fashion superstar who has long served as one of the
greatest ambassadors of American style. His clothes, which
draw on the heritage of Spain and the French haute couture,
as well as on the dynamism of contemporary New York high
fashion, convey a sense of luxury and drama that have earned
him acclaim throughout the world.”
“I am honored to receive this award from the Couture Council
of The Museum at FIT,” said Mr. de la Renta. “It is an
extraordinary acknowledgement celebrating artistry in
fashion, a craft that defines my work as a designer and
drives our industry as a whole. FIT is an institution
dedicated to the future of fashion. I greatly admire their
work and am happy to be a part of their efforts.”
Mr. de la Renta was chosen to receive The Couture Council
Artistry of Fashion Award by the Couture Council Advisory
Committee, an independent group consisting of curators,
editors, and retailers. Members include Pamela Golbin,
curator of the Musée de la Mode; Akiko Fukai,
director and chief curator of the Kyoto Costume Institute;
Caroline Milbank, independent curator and author;
Glenda Bailey, editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar;
Hamish Bowles, European editor-at-large of Vogue;
Ken Downing, fashion director of Neiman Marcus;
Linda Fargo, senior vice president of Bergdorf Goodman;
Nicole Fischelis, vice president and fashion director
at Macy’s; and many distinguished others. Dr. Valerie
Steele serves as chair.
Past recipients of the Couture Council Award are Valentino
in 2011, Karl Lagerfeld in 2010, Dries Van Noten in 2009,
Isabel Toledo in 2008, Alber Elbaz in 2007, and Ralph Rucci
in 2006. In 2008, Giorgio Armani received a special award
for Global Fashion Leadership.
The Couture Council, which was created in 2004, has become
an integral part of the activities of The Museum at FIT.
Its Artistry of Fashion Award furthers FIT’s deep connection
with the fashion industry. Dr. Brown added, “We are very
grateful to the Couture Council for the important work it
does to support the mission of The Museum at FIT.”
About Oscar de la Renta:
Born in the Dominican Republic, Oscar de la Renta left at
the age of eighteen to study painting at the Academy of San
Fernando in Madrid. While living in Spain, he became
interested in design and began sketching for leading Spanish
fashion houses, which led to an apprenticeship with Spain’s
renowned couturier, Cristóbal Balenciaga. Later, he left
Spain to join Antonio Castillo as a couture assistant at the
house of Lanvin in Paris. Mr. de la Renta came to New York
in 1963 to design the couture collection for Elizabeth Arden
and in 1965 began his signature ready-to-wear label. When
he was appointed as designer to the French couture house of
Pierre Balmain in 1992, it was the first time that an
American had been chosen for such a prestigious position at
the heart of the haute couture.
Today, the company also produces a bridal collection, beauty
line, home collection, childrenswear collection, and a
complete range of accessories, including handbags, shoes,
and jewelry. In 2008, Oscar de la Renta opened its first
international stores in Athens and Madrid, and has continued
its expansion with the opening of Dubai in 2009, Tortuga Bay
in 2011, and Riyadh in 2012. Later this Fall, Oscar de la
Renta is opening a store in London and expanding its
boutique on Madison Avenue.
About The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT:
The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT is a membership
group dedicated to supporting The Museum at FIT, a
specialized museum of fashion. The Couture Council helps
make it possible for the museum to mount world-class
exhibitions of fashion, to acquire important objects for its
permanent collection, and to organize public programs, such
as the annual fashion symposium. The Couture Council
accomplishes these goals through collecting membership dues
and by organizing fundraising events such as the annual
Couture Council Awards Luncheon, which presents a chosen
designer with the Couture Council Award for Artistry of
Fashion.
Couture Council annual membership is $1,000 per individual
or couple, or $350 for Young Associates (under the age of
35). Membership is tax deductible to the extent provided by
law. Please make checks payable to the FIT Foundation. Mail
checks to The Museum at FIT, attention: Couture Council, 227
West 27th Street, Director's Office, Room E304, New York, NY
10001-5992.
Members of the Couture Council receive invitations to at
least five special events a year, including
behind-the-scenes tours of the museum’s collection and
exhibitions, opening receptions, and visits to the ateliers
of fashion designers in New York. Couture Council members
are also the first to receive notice of the annual Couture
Council Artistry of Fashion Award luncheon.
In addition, Couture Council members receive complimentary
admittance to all museum educational programs, as well as to
the annual fashion symposium,
acknowledgments in FIT's annual report, in the exhibition
galleries and brochures, and on the FIT website and
exclusive opportunities to meet other patrons of the fashion
arts.
The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT’s board of
directors includes Liz Peek (chair), Yaz Hernàndez
(president), Joele Frank, Laura Lofaro Freeman, Anne S.
Goldrach, Michelle Harper, Carole Divet Harting, Celia Hegyi,
Chiu-Ti Jansen, Eleanora Kennedy, Michèle Gerber Klein,
Alexandra Lebenthal, Kamie Lightburn, Charlotte Moss,
Nancy Shaw Raquet, Darcy Rigas, Peter G. Scotese, Jean
Shafiroff, Michelle Smith, Jieun Wax,
and Sarah G. Wolfe.
For more about The Couture Council visit
www.fitnyc.edu/couturecouncil
About The Museum at FIT:
The
Museum at FIT is the only museum in New York City dedicated
solely to the art of fashion. Best known for its innovative
and award-winning exhibitions, which have been described in
The New York Times as “ravishing,” the museum has a
collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories
dating from the 18th century to the present. Like other
fashion museums, such as the Musée de la Mode, the Mode
Museum, and the Museo de la Moda, The Museum at FIT
collects, conserves, documents, exhibits, and interprets
fashion. The museum’s mission is to advance knowledge of
fashion through exhibitions, publications, and public
programs.
Fashion, A-Z: Highlights from the Collection
of the Museum at FIT,
Part Two,
the second of two exhibitions that highlight
modern and contemporary pieces from the Museum’s permanent
collection, is on view through November 10, 2012. More than
sixty garments and accessories are featured by designers
from Adrian to Zoran, including work by Charles James, Ralph
Lauren, and Diane von Furstenberg. Full portraits of all
exhibition objects from the two exhibitions will be included
in a companion publication by TASCHEN, forthcoming this
fall.
Ivy Style,l
celebrating one of the most enduring clothing styles of the
20th century, will be on view from September 14, 2012 to
January 5, 2013 in the Special Exhibitions Gallery. While
viewed today as a classic form of dressing, in its heyday,
Ivy style—or the “Ivy League look” —was actually so
cutting-edge that it went on to inform the evolution of
menswear for decades. The exhibition examines the genesis of
Ivy style on the prestigious college campuses of the United
States during the early years of the twentieth century,
looks at the ways in which the style became codified by
mid-century, and reveals how now, nearly one hundred years
after its inception, Ivy style is still a thriving global
influence.
For more about The Museum at FIT, visit
www.fitnyc.edu/museum
ABOUT FIT:
The
Fashion Institute of Technology, a college of the State
University of New York, has been a leader in career
education in art, design, business, and technology for
nearly 70 years. With a curriculum that provides a singular
blend of hands-on, practical experience, classroom study,
and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, FIT offers a wide
range of outstanding programs that are affordable and
relevant to today’s rapidly changing industries.
Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York City
location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which
to learn. The college offers more than 45 majors and grants
AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students
for professional success and leadership in the global
marketplace. Visit fitnyc.edu.
ABOUT THE LUNCHEON SPONSORS:
About American Express:
American Express is a global services company, providing
customers with access to products, insights and experiences
that enrich lives and build business success.
Learn more at
americanexpress.com
and
connect with American Express on
facebook.com/americanexpress,
foursquare.com/americanexpress,
linkedin.com/companies/american-express,
twitter.com/americanexpress,
and
youtube.com/americanexpress.
Key links to products and services: charge
and credit cards,
business credit cards,
travel services,
gift cards,
prepaid cards,
merchant services,
business travel,
and
corporate card.
ABOUT OSCAR DE LA RENTA LLC:
Oscar de la Renta is one of the world’s pre-eminent
designers. The company was established in 1965 and
currently produces a full line of women’s accessories,
bridal, children’s wear, home decor and fragrance, in
addition to its signature women’s ready-to-wear collection.
For more information, please visit
www.oscardelarenta.com
ABOUT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE
Saks Fifth Avenue, one of the world’s preeminent specialty
retailers, is renowned for its superlative American and
international designer collections, its expertly edited
assortment of handbags, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics and gifts,
and the first-rate fashion expertise and exemplary client
service of its Associates. Today, Saks operates 45 full-line
stores in 20 states, 2 licensed stores in the Middle East
and 2 licensed stores in Mexico City, 64 Saks Fifth Avenue
OFF 5TH stores and saks.com, the company’s online store.
Saks Fifth Avenue is proud to be named a J.D. Power and
Associates 2012 Customer Service Champion and is only one of
50 U.S. companies so named.
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