Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia Wow at Oscar de la Renta

Two years since taking the creative reins at Oscar de la Renta, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia delivered their best collection for the fashion house yet.

The duos journey to this high point has been nothing short of meteoric. Garcia studied architecture at the University of Notre Dame; after graduating, he moved to New York to intern at Oscar de la Renta. He quickly climbed the ranks, earning the title of senior designer within six years. Kim graduated with a BFA from Pratt in 2004, and had worked at the New York-based house from 2003, eventually serving as design director.

In May 2015 the duo departed Oscar de la Renta to launch Monse, the buzzed-about brand that very quickly gained editorial, celebrity and commercial steam after its Spring/Summer 2016 debut, with supporters including stylist Kate Young and red-carpet favorites such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Margot Robbie, and that year the pair were nominated for a CFDA Swarovski award in the women’s wear category. Today, the brand is stocked at a number of high-profile boutiques and department stores worldwide, including Bergdorf Goodman, Net-a-Porter, Selfridges, and Lane Crawford.

In February 2016, Kim also began working for Carolina Herrera as senior vice president of design, while Garcia was hired by the same brand as a consultant. However, this ended relatively swiftly, and in September 2016 they were appointed co-creative directors of Oscar de la Renta, replacing Peter Copping, who exited the brand mid-July. Now the designers are responsible for the ready-to-wear, accessories, bridal and children’s collections, and work on these in tandem with their own label.

Their debut collection for the house as co-creative directors was Autumn/Winter 2017. In a daring move, Kim, Garcia and Oscar de la Renta chief executive Alex Bolen made the decision to show the legacy brand and Monse collections back-to-back, without a break, during a single runway show. For the 2019 NYC Fashion Week de la Renta show, there was strong suiting followed by a series of stunning, red carpet-worthy gowns ranging from feathers to a full ball gown worn by Bella Hadid in the finale. It was an elegant mix of daywear and eveningwear that felt fresh, but still worthy of the late De la Renta’s approval.

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