Peter Copping – The New Creative Director of Oscar de la Renta

Peter Copping – the new creative director of Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta, 82, the master of elegance, announced that Peter Copping will lead the creative department at the legendary fashion house, founded by the american designer back in 1965. The first ladies loved his creations – Jacqueline Kennedy, Nancy Reagan and Hillary Clinton – as well as every red carpet celebrity, including on their wedding days – like George Clooney‘s wife, Amal Alamuddin, who wore a spectacular de la Renta gown for her wedding day.

Amal Alamuddin in Oscar de la Renta gown

Born in 1932, in the Dominican Republic, at the age of 18 he decided to go to Spain to study painting, but soon he realised the path to go was in fashion design. A star was born, and after working as an illustrator and designer for Balenciaga, Oscar de la Renta moved to New York, in 1963 and worked for Jane Derby. Here he launched his first ready-to-wear label. He also designed the couture collections for the French house  Balmain from 1993 to 2002.

Copping – the British-born designer spent over 3 years at Nina Ricci before joining Oscar de la Renta, 12 years at Vuitton, and couture at Lacroix – will be in charge with all the lines of the brand and will report to Alex Bolen, chief executive at Oscar de la Renta (and de la Renta’s son-in-law), and de la Renta himself, who will still play an active role in the transition to ensure the future of the brand. The first show will take place in February 2015 at the New York Fashion Week.

“We appreciate the same things ­in fashion, in dressing women, in maintaining a certain quality. And Oscar is also passionate about gardening, art, antiques, beautiful things in general. I am sure I can fit into his world and continue it,” Copping told Vogue.