Oscar de la Renta’s Bold New Leader Makes Waves Under Legacy Pressure, Channels Ava Gardner

Oscar de la Renta’s Spring 2016 line premiered at New York Fashion Week: The Shows, and to say it was everything we’d hoped for would be an understatement. Peter Copping, the creative director who was hand-picked by de la Renta himself, aimed to not only please de la Renta fans, but also honor the timeless artistry that the designer left behind.

The mastermind behind the Spring 2016 collection knew that his job was to further develop an already stable and strong label. Appointed days before the master’s passing in 2014, Copping was honored and thrilled to uphold the legacy that is Oscar de la Renta.

At the Fashion Week event in September, models made their way down the runway in garments that would have made de la Renta proud. Each piece, carefully crafted with carnation print, was designed to tell one of de la Renta’s most interesting stories: the inspiration he found in Ava Gardner. Luscious reds and emerald greens colored the runway, and Copping told the story with aplomb.

Here’s a look back at Copping’s debut New York Fashion Week fall show.