LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- It's not quite "Project Pantsuit," but it's not far
off.
Hillary Rodham Clinton will be on hand Monday to honour fashion designer
Oscar de la Renta, the man responsible for a teal, silk pantsuit she wore when
she was sworn in as a senator.
The two shared the stage together last month in New York when Clinton, a
self-professed pantsuit aficionado, presented de la Renta with the Council of
Fashion Designers of America's highest honour and joked about a fictional
"Project Runway" spinoff, "Project Pantsuit."
They're meeting again Monday evening in Little Rock, where some of de la
Renta's work -- including the teal pantsuit -- is on display at the William J.
Clinton Presidential Center.
Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and former president Bill Clinton will
join in the celebration of the temporary exhibit, "Oscar de la Renta: American
Icon," which opened in May and runs through Dec. 1.
Clinton's teal pantsuit, which hardly needs a placard identifying who wore
it, stands near a red cashmere outfit Laura Bush wore in 2008 and a beige
ensemble Nancy Reagan donned a decade earlier. The exhibit also showcases some
of de la Renta's creations worn by other celebrities, including actress Anne
Hathaway.
One of the exhibit's walls features a quote from the former secretary of
state: "Oscar de la Renta is the ultimate statesman of American fashion. His
name alone evokes shimmering elegance and timeless beauty that has helped define
global style for generations. He is a true American original."
Nearby, flowers bloom from a handful of the designers evening gowns. Another
array of dresses pays homage to the Dominican-born designer's time in Spain. A
mannequin wearing a black-and-white polka dot mermaid dress pauses as if frozen
while dancing flamenco, her arms snaking through the air.
"What I saw in Spain colored the way I have looked at clothes ever since," de
la Renta says in a quote on the wall.
The former first ladies' outfits don't look quite like they walked off the
streets of Seville, but they're still clearly de la Renta -- a designer who has
built relationships with a number of women in the White House.
"Oscar has been a dear friend to me, and many other First Ladies. His designs
are truly beautiful and exemplify American style," Laura Bush said in a quote
near the red suit she wore five years ago for the White House Holiday Press
Preview.
Hillary Clinton also called de la Renta a "dear friend" when she presented
him with the CFDA's Founder's Award last month.
She recounted first meeting him as first lady in 1993 during a White House
receiving line for a Kennedy Center event. De la Renta came up to her and said,
"That's one of my dresses," Clinton recalled at the awards ceremony last
month.
In Little Rock, visitors see reproductions of a couple of de la Renta dresses
Clinton has worn over the years, but the pantsuit stands out.
The signage surrounding the outfit Clinton wore when she was sworn in as a
senator in New York, much like her new Twitter biography, plays on her penchant
for pantsuits.
The potential 2016 presidential candidate calls herself a "pantsuit
aficionado" on Twitter. However, the wording on a placard at the exhibit -- much
like the exhibit itself -- is much more highbrow.
"Pantsuits designed by Oscar de la Renta are perhaps Hillary Clinton's most
famous sartorial statement," a sign says.
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