Oscar de la Renta Writes 'Open Letter' to Cathy Horyn

[Not Plain Jane]

So are most people siding with Oscar? Those two tweets favour his viewpoint.

But I totally side with Horyn in this.

 

[LUXXX]

She's a respected critic...I find this drama just as horrifying as what happened to Robin Givhan with Karl Lagerfeld. It's getting to the point where these designers are going to just have 100 clones of Bryanboy occupying the front row talking about how "cray-cray" the collection is. That's not healthy, just like it wouldn't be healthy in the film world as well.

 

[Not Plain Jane]

^ Agree! And that's precisely why I think this issue deserves a spot in the "fashion in depth" thread, because what is at issue is the integrity of critics and their reviews. That's important.

I found myself reading one review at style.com earlier this morning, can't even remember the critic or designer. But anyhow, there were quotes from the designer, and some other discussion of his past (come to think of it I think it was Antonio Berardi) but there was virtually little-to-no commentary on the clothes themselves. Were they great? Average? Off kilter? On point? What!!!?? That's how I felt after reading it. I mean, i have my own opinion, but I would still like to compare it to something of substancewhen I read a review.

 

[Scott]

concur,LUXXX. also,if lori goldstein really did aim that at cathy,remember art ortenberg was the man behind liz claiborne and has been in fashion for well over a century. so to dismiss him simply because he happens to be cathy's boyfriend,is just trying to stir the pot even further. maybe lori is the one that should have kept her trap shut instead of injecting herself in the middle.

and then gaga....she is so sad. immature and attention seeking as always.

 

[fashionista-ta]

I do think it would have been better for Cathy's boyfriend to say nothing, but I do understand the urge to defend those close to you.

Twitter in general is vacuous ... Lady Gaga is much like everyone else in Twitterland. Of course the woman who wore a meat dress is pleased with the hamburger ad ...

 

[Scott]

but you know,to suggest that he's fighting her battle. clearly goldstein knows absolutely NOTHING about cathy horyn!

but gaga....i mean,is that really necessary to involve yourself simply because you have a history with the woman? i mean gaga's condescending remark reminds of all those holier art thou bullies in high school. and this a woman that somehow thinks she's a mouthpiece for outcasts and such. she just confirmed what i've always felt...phony wolf in sheep's clothing.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Sorry, I need you to explain the history ... clearly I've forgotten if I ever knew. Google won't tell me anything but what we're already discussing here

But I agree that Cathy's pen is bigger than Oscar's hot dog.

 

[Scott]

well cathy had made some critical remarks about versace's "excitement" about dressing gaga and followed up by stating "be choosier". and then gaga wrote up this full page diatribe that went into this overly smug tangent about critics and how they are SO irrelevant...blah,blah.....clearly going after cathy because well,she's cathy. and yet again a situation where some hyper-sensitive idiot cannot take it.

 

[ultramarine]

Oh, puh-lease ... we are talking about fashion egos .. and "artists".

Of course nostrils will flare and they will stop talking to each other and send underhanded messages.

Not surprised at all. And I am not team ODlR, but I understand why he is so protective with his work. If someone does that, Ill take that person to mud and wrestle him/her. And then throw some cat pooh.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ The problem here is that he went off like a rocket without troubling to understand what was really being said. Yes, she used an obscure term, but 98% of the rest of the world understands that Cathy is a serious journalist, she doesn't have dementia, if there's a reference to a food item in one of her reviews, it has a reason for being there, it's not a random nonsensical insult.

Oscar comes off as having a mental age of about 7 in this. Cathy wasn't trashing his work at all, she was simply characterizing his approach to it.

Why not just pick up the phone and say, What the hell does this mean?! But no, he runs and takes out an ad because he apparently thrives on a public fight, like a brawling toddler. (I think 7 actually was considerably overstating the case ...)

 

[iluvjeisa]

I'm all for fashion critics expressing what they are supposed to express - critique. That said, I do think picking on an old designer who isn't hot anymore seems a bit weak and easy.

 

[mdankwah]

Did Oscar de la Renta actually read the article in its entirety. Cathy Horyn actually gave the collection a positive review

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ And what she said she didn't intend as an insult. I think it would probably be fair to characterize the late Bill Blass as an eminence grise, and as I recall, his clothes were pretty stolid and boring. She was saying that he may be 80, but he's designing with all the bravado of youth. I don't see that as picking on him.

He seems to feel a lot of entitlement, but a critic who reserves spots on a top 10 list (or similar) for those who are getting on whose feelings might be hurt if they're not included, probably needs to be fired.

 

[Scott]

see that's what i thought as well. i didn't see anything negative or scathing(as it's being portrayed) about that review really. apparently reading comprehension is a fundamental skill lost in our culture these days. he misinterpreted the critique,he took it personally,thus reacted instead. frankly,i'm beginning to wonder how much of this from oscar's end is really just a clever strategy to get people to pay attention to him again and not the much ado it appears to be??

and btw,criticism is something that comes with the territory. this is after all a subjective medium like music and art. cathy isn't the kind of writer that hits below the belt but she's very blunt. but there are a lot of blunt reviewers out there but rarely do i ever see anybody react in this manner....meaning many take such things in stride. seems to me if you can't take it,then you don't need to be here. or at the very least,don't pay attention to reviews.

 

[juanpyx]

I know it's a bit off topic, but I want to know something... feel free to answer me Are Cathy Horyn's columns that influential to cause something in Oscar's business?

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Not to my knowledge. They are clearly influential to his ego though

 

[ultramarine]

^ The problem here is that he went off like a rocket without troubling to understand what was really being said. Yes, she used an obscure term, but 98% of the rest of the world understands that Cathy is a serious journalist, she doesn't have dementia, if there's a reference to a food item in one of her reviews, it has a reason for being there, it's not a random nonsensical insult.

Oscar comes off as having a mental age of about 7 in this. Cathy wasn't trashing his work at all, she was simply characterizing his approach to it.

Why not just pick up the phone and say, What the hell does this mean?! But no, he runs and takes out an ad because he apparently thrives on a public fight, like a brawling toddler. (I think 7 actually was considerably overstating the case ...)

Oh, I agree. Thats something Ive learned myself bc there have been moments when there have been mix ups and I ended up looking like a spoiled $#%$#&. Oscar SHOULD have done that. But because of the environment -fashion- Im not surprised this happened.

 

[tatouejeremie]

http://nymag.com/thecut/2012/09/gaga-disses-horyn-and-ortenberg-in-mugler-rap.html

and now lady gaga is rapping about cathy horyn and her boyfriend for calling her out

 

[thejarc]

I don't know if this is relevant but this has just been posted to the YSL collection thread and is from Hedis official twitter (I had to double check, but apparently it is really his official one)

twitter.com

I want to express my support for actual journalists, thus Cathy, who stands strong in a sea of opinion-less fashion writers and overly sensitive designers who got used to the praising and can't take a bad review anymore. I don't always agree with her reviews and I don't get her fondness of Raf but Oscar and Hedi and all the other designers that pull ads and ban critics need to come down from their f!cking ego-trip.

(Also I might add, Hedi accuses Cathy of being a bully but posts this on his twitter page. A.sshole.)

 

[LUXXX]

Oh lord, the immaturity some of these designers display. And this, coupled with Hedi firing a store manager for not knowing who he was. The ego and arrogance...crazy!

I guess Hedi was referring to this review where Cathy complains for several paragraphs about not being invited to the new YSL show. Apparently, it's all about Raf Simons and jealousy.

http://runway.blogs.nytimes.com/201...ateau-marmont/?smid=tw-nytimesstyle&seid=auto