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During the second night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, was dressed by Dominican designer Fernando García. She wore a sophisticated navy blue suit from Monse's Resort 2025 collection. Monse is a luxury brand founded in 2015 by García and Laura Kim, who also work as creative directors at Oscar de la Renta.
The suit consists of a sleeveless jacket priced at $1,690 and tuxedo cuffed pants priced at $890, totaling $2,580. Fernando García is renowned for creating iconic eveningwear for Oscar de la Renta.
"@michelleobama in @monsemaison for the #DNC styled by @meredithkoop 🗽what an incredible honor, beautiful words and moving moment 💙 dressing women like this will always be the reason we do what we do ✂️ thank you to our amazing team at Monse and Meredith for letting us be a part of such an incredible night 😭," Fernando wrote on Instagram.
Continuing the Legacy of Oscar de la Renta
Renowned Dominican fashion designer Oscar de la Renta received training from Cristóbal Balenciaga and Antonio del Castillo. Following his passing in 2014, the brand has continued producing impressive collections under García and Kim's creative direction.
Garcia told Diario Libre about his experience working with the iconic designer: "It was the best thing that could have happened to me, simply because I learned from a man who had already achieved everything, and he gave me the opportunity and freedom to learn what to do and what not to do."
According to Fernando, continuing Oscar de la Renta's legacy is natural. "Laura [Kim] and I have been designing for him our whole lives. We don't see it as 'designing like Oscar', we just design like Oscar. It's what we know. On the other hand, we go out to parties and meet up with friends in the fashion world, see what people like to wear and keep up to date. It's a balance of day to day," he told the publication.
The designer also said that Oscar de la Renta had a plan for him. "Since Oscar brought me to the company, he saw that my relationship with Laura would be one of complementation. I didn't understand how he could perceive that until I met her; it was like yin and yang," he assured.
Fernando described Laura as the creative behind easy-to-wear. "On the creative side, she has an affinity for everyday attire and daywear. I have more of an aspiration towards fantasy; it will usually have to do with cocktail or evening wear. I think the magic of complementation happens when I balance my fantasy with her reality and her reality complements my fantasy, because nothing too practical is aspirational and nothing too fanciful is real. That balance in everything we do helps the brand have a strong point with the real and the aspirational."