Fashion Cheat Sheet: What You Need To Know About The New Designer At Oscar de la Renta

Peter Copping: Sofia Sanchez & Mauro Mongiello/Trunk Archive

After months of speculation, Oscar de la Renta announced today that former Nina Ricci creative director Peter Copping has joined the company, effective immediately. So, what does it mean for the 82-year-old designer and his pretty-dress-loving disciples? Here’s the breakdown:

1. Why is this happening? Mr. de la Renta, who is well past retirement age, has been searching for a successor for years. For a short while, disgraced fashion designer John Galliano was assisting in the atelier, but that didn’t last. While rumors circulated about who would win the top spot—names like Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu were dropped—the company has been in talks with Copping for months, with rumors of Copping bopping in and out of the OdlR offices this summer.

2. Who is Peter Copping? The 47-year-old British designer studied at the Royal College of Art, interning with Christian Lacroix and subsequently working at Iceberg, Sonia Rykiel and Louis Vuitton, where he worked for Marc Jacobs for 12 years. In 2009, he was appointed creative director at Nina Ricci, a storied-but-dusty fashion house that had gone through a string of head designers over a very short period of time. Copping brought an unabashed femininity to the collection, using delicate ruffles and form-fitting silhouettes in daywear as well as evening gowns. The designer is also known throughout the industry for being a genuinely lovely person.

3. Why is he a good fit? Along with being in line aesthetically with Mr. de la Renta, Copping understands how to run a modern fashion brand. He gets the importance of accessories—shoes, in particular, are a growing category for OdlR—and has had spent most of his career at big luxury fashion conglomerates LVMH and Puig, so he knows the ins and outs of the industry.

4. Who is replacing Copping at Nina Ricci? Guillaume Henry, a French designer who just ended a five-year run reviving the house of Carven, is taking his place. Henry brought a youthful edge to Carven’s mid-century inspired silhouettes, so it’ll be interesting to see how he approaches Ricci’s more mature aesthetic.

5. What will change, design-wise, about Oscar de la Renta? For now, any changes will be wildly subtle. OdlR is a family run company: Mr. de la Renta’s son in law, Alex Bolen, is the CEO, and his step daughter, Eliza Bolen, is the VP of licensing. And the eponymous designer is likely to keep a steady hand in design for as long as he can. Copping’s appointment is a step forward in modernizing the house of de la Renta without abandoning its past.