Oscar de la Renta Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2015

It was Peter Coppings big night, presenting his debut collection for the house of Oscar de la Renta. And it was a graceful start. His Oscar debut was part homage, part anthology representative of the house’s range. He offered the spectrum: pretty dresses, constructed suits, sleek coat-over-dress looks. A series of graphic tweeds were inspired by the configurations of the buildings and windows he sees out his studio window; the legacy of celebratory color pushed Copping toward the occasional vibrant day look, including a full-skirted suit in fanciful red-violet. Copping infused the evening pieces with a certain youthfulness by using unlined lace for bodices, and working on new necklines. Some of the grander ball gowns could’ve used more fine-tuning. But if the fit on those numbers wasn’t quite as finessed as longtime Oscar followers remember, Copping demonstrated his deft sense of color—midnight blue and violet, chartreuse and bordeaux—and a special eye for detail. An ivory column with black embroidered flowers was exquisite, all the more so when it walked by and you got a look at the deep lace inset in back. There was a lot of poise in that gown.