Oscar de la Renta’s Transforms Stained Glass into Haute Couture

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There’s an ancient, almost regal essence to a stained glass window. That can perhaps be attributed to the frequent appearance of windows in traditional and especially Gothic architecture, whether in a church, library, or university. The art form’s legacy has since been transported into the contemporary world, courtesy of the renowned fashion house Oscar de la Renta.

As part of its Fall 2024 “Art Nouveau” collection, the brand re-envisioned stained glass mosaics as “shattered-glass” gowns. These dresses are embroidered with thousands of hand-dyed acrylic plexiglass pieces, each of which dramatically catches and reflects the light. The effect is not only deeply satisfying but also convincing, creating the illusion of a translucent pane of glass. It’s also become something of a “new House-signature,” according to the brand, and was originally inspired by Tiffany & Co.’s iconic stained glass designs.

In the past year alone, several celebrities have already donned the glassy dress. For the 2024 premiere of The Substance, for instance, Demi Moore wore the gown in a red colorway, bearing a stunning, rose-like pattern set across a black background. In March 2025, actor Jenna Ortega appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert with a similar dress, also featuring a strapless, rose petal design, but altered from floor-length to just above the knee.

Oscar de la Renta isn’t the only label to have experimented with such techniques. In 2001, Alexander McQueen created a decadent dress complete with glass medical slides painted a deep red. These chips trickle down the back of the dress, resembling small puncture wounds or drops of blood, a theme that preoccupied McQueen throughout his career. Just below the waist, an explosion of red and black ostrich feathers offers an intriguing contrast to the gown’s delicate glass details. Dutch designer Iris van Herpen has also incorporated handblown glass bubbles throughout her haute couture, as seen in her “dimensionism” dress.

Glass has served a critical role in fashion, reflecting themes of ephemerality, transparency, fragility, and luminescence. With recent technological and technical innovations, though, the means of showcasing glass have evolved in turn, allowing designers to circumvent issues of weight or frailty more and more. In the case of Oscar de la Renta, the shattered-glass gowns remain light and airy, given the brand’s choice of material. Taken in its entirety, these dresses are yet another clever translation of stained glass into haute couture.

To explore everything the fashion house has to offer, visit the Oscar de la Renta website.