Oscar de la Renta was one of the most famous and influential fashion designers in the world. He was born on July 22, 1932 in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. As a child he was interested in art and painting and dreamed of becoming a famous painter.
At the age of 18, he went to Spain to study at the San Fernando Academy in Madrid. There he discovered his passion for fashion and started sending sketches to different fashion houses. One of them was Balenciaga, the leading Spanish fashion house at the time, which hired him as an assistant. There he learned the art of tailoring and the elegance of haute couture.
After three years at Balenciaga, he moved to Paris to work for Lanvin, one of the most prestigious French fashion houses. There he worked under the direction of Antonio Castillo, a former Balenciaga employee who considered him his protégé. He designed clothes for the high society and movie stars of Paris and soon became known for his refined and feminine style.
In 1963, he received an offer from Elizabeth Arden. He was initially hesitant to go to New York, but finally decided to do so in order to establish his own name. He created exclusive collections for Elizabeth Arden. He quickly became a favorite of the American press and public and received numerous awards for his work.
In 1965 he founded his own fashion house, Oscar de la Renta, which specialized in luxury women’s fashion. He became famous for his glamorous evening gowns, colorful patterns and ethnic influences. He dressed some of the world’s most famous women, including Jacqueline Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Diana Ross, Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton. He was also known for his bridal fashion and designed Amal Alamuddin’s wedding dress when she married George Clooney.
In addition to his fashion career, Oscar de la Renta was also committed to charitable causes and supported his home country, the Dominican Republic, in particular. He established a foundation, the “Casa del Niño”, which cares for orphaned and disadvantaged children.
Oscar de la Renta died on October 20, 2014, at the age of 82, as a result of cancer. He left a great legacy in the fashion world and was honored as one of the greatest designers of all time. His fashion house is now run by his stepson Alex Bolen, who promised to continue his vision.