Oscar de la Renta Spring 2020 Ready-to-Wear

Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia have been finding inspiration in travel and far-flung destinations lately. A year ago it was India by way of Morocco, then in February it was Cordoba, Spain. During development for Spring 2020, it dawned on the duo that they hadn’t yet explored Mr. de le Renta’s native Dominican Republic. Voila, they had their starting point. “We really wanted to tap into the house’s Latin American roots,” said Garcia, who is Dominican himself.

The Cunard Building was outfitted with potted palms and giant baskets bearing fruit. Though the designers mentioned Santo Domingo, this collection was less about a specific place than it was a state of mind. The early looks conjured getaway vibes with their ultra-short hemlines or generous caftan proportions. For Fall, they emphasized their tailoring; here, jackets played only a supporting role, topping a barely-there wrapped chiffon minidress or a lace top and silk moiré party shorts set. Last season’s patchwork prints must’ve performed well, because Kim and Garcia revisited them in breezier shapes and lighter-weight materials.

In general, the stronger the sense of hand and texture the better here. De la Renta would’ve recognized the very pretty embroidered linen dress and the woven raffia numbers. He might’ve been more surprised by the handful of short-in-front, long-in-back party dresses that closed the show, but Kim and Garcia know what they’re doing. Their young clients will doubtless appreciate them.