Cliff Notes

Olympians excite Ralph Lauren crowd and Oscar de la Renta proves he's no hot dog

Ralph Lauren closed his show with a black silk faille embroidered jacket, silktop and organza evening skirt.
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz
Oscar de la Renta light pink silk organza caraco with shocking and light pinklatex flower applique and cocktail shorts.
Ralph Lauren acknowledged the crowd at the end of his show.
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz
Oscar de la Renta aquamarine crush tulle tiered gown.
Ralph Lauren opened his show with a turquoise suede poet blouse, black wool pantand black leather studded motorcycle hobo bag.
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz
Oscar de la Renta white stretch crepe embroidered gown with contrast black back.
Oscar de la Renta yellow latex ruffled tank, amber silk tape macrame jacket,multicolor tartan shantung taffeta bias-tiered pencil skirt.
Oscar de la Renta navy ribbon jacquard blouse and pencil skirt.

When Rachel Zoe showcased her collection for a select audience of American Express cardholders at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Thursday night, her good friend, designer Prabal Gurung, asked how she felt before a show.

"I'm terrified," she said. "All of the designers that I know — and some of them are the biggest in the business — are terrified right up until the show. I asked one of my heroes the other night, 'How are you doing?' He said, 'I'm so nervous.'

"And I said, 'You can't be nervous. You've been doing this for 50 years.'

"He said, 'If I'm not nervous, then I'm done with this.'"

Zoe didn't name the designer, but it was clear she was talking about Oscar de la Renta, because she was front-and-center at his show a couple of nights earlier, and he has been at the top of his game for a generation.

Being a little nervous is probably a good thing, because de la Renta's spring collection proved that he continues to design with a distinct point of view.

The collection offers a little something for everyone. It opened with a sexy secretary look as model-of-the-moment Karlie Kloss appeared in a red latex tank, tight white pencil skirt and navy blazer. Her hair was punked up with red streaks.

After a few similar looks, de la Renta pivoted to a range of creme-colored pants suits, yellow day dresses, pink and turquoise suits, and skirts covered with grafitti. For evening wear, always his strong suit, the selections ranged from a striking black-and-white column gown to an aquamarine crush tulle princess gown, along with pink satin hot pants paired with a pink bustier or flower-draped top.

New York Times fashion writer Cathy Horyn riled up de la Renta when, after viewing the collection, she wrote that the 80-year-old designer is "far more a hot dog than an éminence grise of American fashion." He took offense and ran a full-page ad in Women's Wear Daily, calling Horyn a "stale 3-day-old hamburger" and advising her to "abstain from personal criticism."

In an email to Fashionologie, Horyn maintained it was all a big misunderstanding, and she meant no harm. "I used the term in a professional context, as someone showing off his tricks, like a surfer," Horyn said. "I thought an ad was a little over-the-top."

All the food terminology seemed rather amusing, because it's unlikely the wafer-thin models wearing de la Renta's clothes would ever touch a hot dog.

We're not sure if, at 72, Ralph Lauren has a case of nerves before a show. Afterward, he always looks at ease on the runway, while the Lauren clan — wife Ricky, son David and his wife Lauren, daughter Dylan — stand and wildly applaud.

That was the scene again at the unveiling of Lauren's spring 2013 collection, as starlets Jessica Alba and Olivia Wilde joined in the applause. But all eyes were on Olympic swimmers Ryan Lochte and Conor Dwyer, both impeccably dressed in tailored navy Ralph Lauren suits. They sat on the front row with the Lauren family.

After the show, the normally blasé fashion crowd raced to have their photos taken with the Olympians.

Having a world view is not new to Lauren. With fashion going increasingly global, in recent years he has centered his collections around themes of Britain's Downton Abbey, a mysterious temptress in China and the dusty environs of Santa Fe.

"I definitely want to get into the fashion world," said Olympian Ryan Lochte. "I'm working with a design team right now, so hopefully it's up and running within the next year."

For spring 2013, Lauren developed a Spanish theme with gaucho glamour. His romantic collection featured embroidered torreador capes and matador jackets, serape blanket wrap tops, ruffled blouses, stencil cut-out leather purses and belts, and dresses and handbags dripping in fringe.

Colors are bold — the collection featured a turquoise blouse, tomato red tank dress, sage green pants and a purple pants outfit — but the real showstoppers were a series of rather simple all-white or all-black gowns.

Lochte and Dwyer certainly were impressed.

"It was unbelievable; the best one I've seen," said Dwyer, who added he had been to about four fashion shows previously.

Is he becoming a fashion veteran?

"We'll see. I'm still young, but I like it a lot," said the 23-year-old Olympic gold medalist. "All the models are really good-looking."

Lochte said he has plans for his own clothing line. "I definitely want to get into the fashion world. I'm working with a design team right now, so hopefully it's up and running within the next year."

He added the line will be casual and formal. "But you know what? I want a little edge to it," he said.

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Shopping News

Where to shop in Dallas right now: 11 new stores and stops for May

Ralph Lauren

Patchwork jacket by Ralph Lauren

The May edition of Where to Shop, CultureMap Dallas' monthly column of shops, sales, and alternative finds, is right on time for summer shopping. This edition includes a sample sale store, one-stop shop for closet and storage space, and ritzy diamonds.

Here's where to shop in Dallas this month:

260 Dallas
Sample sale store in Inwood Village that got its start in New York features luxury brands of women's and men's fashions at discounted prices, such as Print Fresh, Mark Cross, Favorite Daughter, and Maison Kitsune. Featured sales change weekly and are available both in-store and online. There are also locations in Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago.

Away
Travel essentials and luggage brand has moved its Dallas location from Knox Street to NorthPark. At the new location, visitors can explore a lineup that includes hardside suitcases, softside suitcases, and the Flex assortment known for its expandable design. The store will also showcase Away’s bags and accessories, featuring the latest styles from their Featherlight line of travel bags, and the Active collection.

California Closets
Closet showroom recently opened an Irving location at 350 E. Royal Ln. #119 in the Communications Complex business park. They specialize in custom closets, storage space, and shelving. They also offer complimentary in-home consultations. There are six other locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, including Lovers Lane, Carrollton, Plano, Farmers Branch, Southlake, and Fort Worth.

Crocs
Casual clogs and footwear brand has opened in a new expanded space at Allen Premium Outlets. The expanded Crocs store features an elevated floor plan with eye-catching displays and fixtures that spotlight a broad spectrum of core and seasonal colors and shoe charms, or Jibbitz. (Heydude, a casual footwear brand, is taking over Crocs' former space in the summer.)

Curated & Co.
New showroom and boutique located at 4747 4th Army Dr., #27, in Frisco offers home décor, furniture, and gifts like candles and cocktail glasses, with a goal to help clients define their personal style. Curated & Co. was created by Tracy McNeese, founder and lead designer of design firm CuratedDesign Partners, which has been serving DFW since 2007.

Diamonds Direct
Jewelry store specializing in diamond sourcing, consumer experience, selection, and education has opened its third location in Dallas-Fort Worth at 1585 Old University Dr. in Fort Worth. The showroom boasts 5,600 square-feet of retail space and has plenty of diamond inventory, ranging from rings to watches to pendants. They also offer free jewelry maintenance and a 110 percent upgrade policy. There are two other locations in Dallas and Frisco.

IT’SUGAR
Experience an unpredictable sense of excitement and wonder along with the sights, smells, and especially taste of your favorite treats: from chocolates to lollipops to mints to gummy bears and candy-inspired fashion apparel and more. The store opened in March, next to Perry Ellis, and is the fourth IT'SUGAR location in DFW, following NorthPark Center, Grapevine Mills Mall, and Sundance Square in Fort Worth.

Lucchese Bootmaker
Western lifestyle brand recently opened at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington — their largest store in DFW, at 3,600 square feet. The collection features boots, accessories, and candles, plus a collaboration with the Dallas Cowboys featuring the silver Star-Struck boots for $695. This comes on the heels of Lucchese’s new partnership with the newly opened National Medal of Honor Museum as a member of the Museum’s Stars Circle. There are currently stores in Fort Worth, Frisco, and Dallas.

Marc Jacobs at Grand Prairie Outlets
Since 1984, this American fashion designer has spearheaded countless ready-to-wear, handbag, fragrance, and cosmetic collections. This store, which opened in April, has monogrammed handbags, wallets, jewelry, and casual shoes like flip-flops. It's the second Marc Jacobs outlet store in the area, following a similar store at the Allen Premium Outlets mall in Allen. (There's also a regular Marc Jacobs boutique at NorthPark Center.)

Neiman Marcus
Collaboration with Ralph Lauren at NorthPark features a 52-piece collection of men’s, women’s, and kids' styles. Signature elements include pearl-beaded denim, a sequined flag sweater, and a tailored patchwork suit. One of the featured items leaning into the denim look is the Payson Ombre Cotton Chambray Western for $1,290. Customers can also visit the NorthPark Ralph Lauren store to experience an exclusive Ralph Lauren installation on the second floor.

Yardstick
Boutique dog hotel out of Nashville recently opened its second Dallas location in the Medallion Center at 6464 Northwest Hwy. #144. It's offering boarding, daycare, and grooming services, plus smaller spaces and personalized attention for sensitive pups. Their suites emphasize comfort and pay particular attention to sound reduction. Other amenities include a sofa lounge, tufted play yards, and room service with dog treats. A daytime visit starts at $40, a night of boarding starts at $80 for one dog.

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