Born on July 22, 1932, Oscar de la Renta was raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Oscar De La Renta quote
At the age of 18, he left his native land because he wanted to study painting in Madrid. While there, he dreamed of becoming an abstract painter but instead was attracted by the world of fashion design. His amazing talent for illustration allowed him to get an apprenticeship with Cristobal Balenciaga.
De La Renta Runway
In 1961, during a trip in Paris, he was hired for his first job at Lanvin-Castillo. Within few years, he had moved to the Big Apple and joined the American design house of Elizabeth Arden. He began his own signature ready-to-wear label in 1965.
De la Renta married Francoise de Langlade, an editor-in-chief of French
Vogue, in 1967. Francoise introduced him to some of the most influential members of fashion society. His line soon became synonymous with casual luxury.
Beautiful gowns
De la Renta suffered a lot when his wife died in 1983. Just after that terrible event, he decided to adopt a child found in an orphanage in Dominican Republic. In 1990 he also got married for a second time.
While de la Renta expanded his brand and took it in a new direction during the next years, his lines remained feminine and flattering. By the early 2000s, his work became the preferred wear of US first ladies. In fact, he dressed Nancy Reagan and then provided the gowns for inaugural events for both Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush.
Hilary Clinton and Oscar de la Renta at the 2013 CFDA Awards
As you may already know, in 2002 the designer added his name to a new business venture: furniture.
Then, in 2004, he decided to launch a cheaper line of clothing, called O Oscar.
Amazing black dress
Oscar De la Renta was diagnosed with cancer during the first decade of the 2000s and died on October 20, 2014 at the age of 82 in Connecticut.
Photo Credits: Pinterest
