Oscar Party

As Bernie Sanders rails against the 1%ers and San Francisco residents bridle at the influx of a newly flush techie elite, hold onto your stylish booties. because here comes the de Young Museum's "Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective," an exhibition focusing on the late high-fashion designer whose creations only the wealthy with money to burn could afford.

De la Renta's place in the pantheon was assured, if it hadn't been already, when he scored a major coup shortly before his death in 2014: Amal Clooney selected him to design the exquisite tulle wedding dress she wore to the altar in Venice. But the headline of his New York Times obit may have put it best when it stated that he "clothed stars and became one." The dashing Dominican-born American dressed some of the world's most famous and discerning women, from local socialites and red-carpet habitues like Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicki Minaj and Penelope Cruz to former first ladies such as the late Nancy Reagan and Hillary Clinton, both of whom he befriended. Yes, chickadees, he tried to help Hillary with those unflattering pantsuits, and she owns the unfortunate leopard print ensemble that's on view.

The flawless installation poses some mannequins with their backs to viewers, a nice touch that invites optimal ogling of the svelte lines of gowns like the reed-slim, strapless, scarlet-silk georgette dress, streamlined to within inches of its slightly flared hem, and accessorized with elbow-length black gloves. Vogue magazine pronounced the designer "King of Evening," and the title fits. His dressy coats can be spectacular; a close-fitting, full-length one in olive-green silk velvet with gold embroidery and fur trim is worthy of Tsarist royalty.

Underneath the surface of even the most ardent feminist lurks the girlish dream of becoming (or at least feeling like) a fairy-tale princess descending a palace staircase and turning heads at the ball; de la Renta hit that sweet spot. But if you're excited by the kinky punk aesthetic of Vivienne Westwood or the trashy, streetwise, transgressive vibe of Jean Paul Gaultier, this show won't be rock & roll enough for you. "Sleek by day, lavish by night" was de la Renta's calling card, and overall, the fashions are demure and skew toward the conservative, ladies-who-lunch society crowd who made up the bulk of his client base. If one measures the value of a costume show - the designer's name recognition and attendant status aside - by whether the work makes that crucial jump from pop-cultural artifact to art, de la Renta's attention to detail and especially his opulent fabrics put him over the fence in that regard with acres of layered tulle, luxurious taffetas, plush velvets and hand-embroidered silks; but in terms of invention and sheer virtuosity, he pales in comparison with the neglected genius Charles James, featured in FAMSF's High Style show last year.

The museum's overview is the first major retrospective survey of the life and career of this glamorous tastemaker who hobnobbed with Norman Mailer, the Clintons and the Rothschilds, flamenco dancers, opera singers and bullfighters. Divided into thematic sections and consisting of 121 looks created over five decades, it begins with his rise to prominence in Franco's Spain in the 1950s and his apprenticeship to Cristobal Balenciaga, followed by a period in Paris with Lanvin and Balmain, and his move to the U.S. in 1983.

It also showcases an array of inspirations, Eastern, Russian and Spanish, which express his attraction to the exotic. The Spanish section references El Greco, Velazquez and the prairie - that is, if a ranch woman were inclined to wear taffeta, like the stunning long-sleeve, navy blue blouse partnered with a ruby red, tiered ruffle skirt that rustles when its wearer moves. His trademark romanticism is at full throttle in the Garden gallery. Recalling a bygone languorous age, the feminine, willowy, floral print dresses, suitable for decadent outdoor parties at Versailles, evoke the sumptuous decadence of 18th-century France and Marie Antoinette.

When deciding if a creation passed muster, de la Renta often asked himself if his wife, Annette, would like it. Several of her remarkable custom-designed pieces are part of the show: A sable-trimmed shawl, displayed with matching dark velvet pants and tunic with a gold accent; a puffy-sleeved citron-satin evening cape; and a snappy, lace-effect, black tulle and silk taffeta applique dress with a trim, boatnecked bodice and a saucy matador hat.

The new exhibition is an opportunity to appreciate the elegance of a man classy to a fault, beloved by his clients, and by many accounts, wickedly charming and a true gentleman in a business of ruffians. He once gave the show's curator, Andre Leon Talley, a caged tarantula as a gift. Thanks, Oscar. The designer was also a gifted gardener whose handiwork can be seen in a video of the verdant grounds of his Connecticut estate. It seems he brought his love of beauty and signature style to every aspect of his life.

Through May 30 at the de Young Museum.