And the Oscar goes to...

Me! Oscar de la Renta was born in the Dominican Republic in 1932; he went to Spain to study painting at the age of 18, but soon began working for the legendary designer Cristobal Balenciaga. He went on to work for Lanvin in Paris, then Elizabeth Arden in New York, before launching his own clothing line in 1965. And he is still at it, counting among his private clients Laura Bush and her twin daughters. (I don't hold that against him, though, a man's go to eat. ;-) Moreover, he still retains financial control of his company while so many other designers have sold out to corporations. This tie is from the Oscar de la Renta Studio collection, probably from the late 1970s, and is characterized by the signature on the front of the tie, a big, leafy jacquard weave, and a fabric composition of 97% polyester and 3% silk (one of the more perplexing fabrics I've encountered). The designs and colors on the Studio ties are mostly bold and wonderful, this one being my favorite. The shapes remind me of ceramic flowers.