Oscar de la Renta hires Peter Copping

A graduate of Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art in London, Oxford-born Copping went up through the ranks at Sonia Rykiel and Louis Vuitton before arriving at Nina Ricci. Now he’s been lined up to replace the world-famous Dominican American designer.

“After a career of 20 years in Paris, this is an important next step for me,” Copping told WWD. “Oscar de la Renta has defined American elegance for generations of women, and the opportunity to work with him and help ensure the future of the brand is very exciting.”

Copping’s departure from Paris was confirmed earlier this month, with his position now filled by former Carven creative director Guillaume Henry. The British designer’s first show will take place in February at New York Fashion Week during the Fall/Winter 2014 collections. de la Renta, aged 82, will reportedly maintain an active role in the business with Copping reporting directly to him and the brand’s CEO Alex Bolen.